Tag Archive: newslettersent

Swiss banking sector continues to shrink but survivors profitable

2018-07-01

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2018-07-01

Switzerland lost a total of nine banks in 2017 bringing the total to 253. Around 20 years ago the country boasted more than 400 banks. According to the annual “Banks in Switzerland” report released by the Swiss National Bank (SNB) on Thursday, only one foreign bank opened a Swiss branch last year. The number of people working for banks also declined. Staff numbers in Switzerland fell by 7.7% to 93,554 full-time equivalents (FTEs).

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The Benefits of Issuing Gold Bonds

2018-07-01

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2018-07-01

A gold bond is debt obligation that is denominated in gold, with interest and principal paid in gold. As I will explain below, it’s a way for the issuer to pay off its debt in full, and there are other advantages. Sometimes, I find that it’s helpful to show a picture of what I’m talking about. At the Harvard Club in New York, an old gold bond is hanging on the wall among other memorabilia.

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Swiss banks urged to step up fight against financial crime

2018-06-30

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2018-06-30

Swiss financial institutions and public authorities must do more to prevent organised crime and money laundering within the financial system, a study by the consulting firm KPMG published on Tuesday has found. The authors of the study called “Clarity on Crime in Financial Services” highlighted several challenges and problems which must be addressed if banks want to successfully prevent and identify criminal financial activities in future.

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Revisiting The Revised Revisions

2018-06-30

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2018-06-30

Revisions Durable Goods SA, 2006-2018
I missed durable goods last month for scheduling reasons, which was a shame given that May is the month each year for benchmark revisions to the series. Since new estimates under the latest revisions were released today, it seems an appropriate time to revisit the topic of data bias, and why that matters. What happens with durable goods (or any data for that matter, the process is largely the same) is that the Census Bureau conducts smaller surveys...

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Cryptos Slide Accelerates Since Congress Warned Bitcoin Poses Threat To US Election

2018-06-30

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2018-06-30

BTC/USD, Monthly Jun 2018
Bitcoin has tumbled back below $6,000 in early Asia trading and the rest of the crypto space is following suit. No imediate catalyst for the move - aside from technical pressure - but tougher AML rules in South Korea and US Congress being told Bitcoin is a threat to the US election may have sparked it earlier in the week and this is follow-through.

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What’s so special about crypto?

2018-06-29

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2018-06-29

Towards the end of 2017, Bitcoin — and with it other cryptocurrencies — experienced a real hype. Within a few months, prices shot through the ceiling. The euphoria was ginormous and in hindsight pure madness. With the new year, the disillusionment arrived. The market capitalization of all cryptocurrencies fell by more than half and prices plunged.

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KOF Economic Barometer, June: Economic Outlook Improves Slightly

2018-06-29

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2018-06-29

KOF Economic Barometer, June 2018
The KOF Economic Barometer rose again in June for the first time in three months. It increased by 1.7 points to 101.7 points, stopping its downward tendency in spring. The current Barometer value is now slightly above the long-term average of 100.0. Thus, the KOF Economic Barometer indicates a slightly above-average economic development in Switzerland. The tailwind for the Swiss economy is no longer as strong as during winter.

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Tourism Balance of Payments Slightly Negative in 2017

2018-06-29

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2018-06-29

T1 Einnahmen und Ausgaben, 2017 (in Mio. Franken)
For the second consecutive year, the tourism balance of payments was negative in 2017. This means that expenditure by Swiss residents during visits abroad exceeded the expenditure of non-residents during their stay in Switzerland. In an economic climate still marked by a strong franc, the tourism balance of payments was CHF -122 million, according to initial estimates from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

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Swiss Town Tests Blockchain-Based Voting

2018-06-29

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2018-06-29

On 25 June 2018, the city of Zug, the town at the heart of Switzerland’s crypto valley, started testing a voting system based on blockchain technology. During the trial, which runs until 1 July 2018, around 200 voters will cast non-binding municipal votes on mock questions in a trial designed to identify any bugs in a system built by the company Luxsoft and the computer science department of Lucerne’s University of Applied Sciences.

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Bitcoin: les causes de la chute historique sous la barre des 6 000$.

2018-06-29

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2018-06-29

Bitcoin Horrific Crashes
Bitcoin : les causes de la chute historique sous la barre des 6 000$. 2 articles de Adrien Pittore/ Entreprise news. Le 21 juin dernier était historique pour les cryptomonnaies. Le cours du Bitcoin a fait une chute spectaculaire, passant sous la barre des 6 000$. Une valeur qu’il dépassait depuis novembre 2017. Pour autant, les spécialistes ne s’accordent pas sur les raisons de ce plongeon. Tour d’horizon.

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Banks in Switzerland 2017, Results from the Swiss National Bank’s data collection

2018-06-28

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2018-06-28

Overview 2017
Summary of the 2017 banking year. Of the 253 banks in Switzerland, 229 recorded a profit in 2017, posting a total profit of CHF 10.3 billion. The remaining 24 institutions recorded an aggregate loss of CHF 0.5 billion. The result of the period for all banks was CHF 9.8 billion. The aggregate balance sheet total rose by 4.8% to CHF 3,249.4 billion.

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London House Prices Fall 1.9 percent In Quarter – Bubble Bursting?

2018-06-28

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2018-06-28

London House Prices Bubble, 1995 - 2018
London house prices down 1.9 per cent in Q2 (yoy). London house prices still 50% above 2007 bubble peak (see chart). Brexit and weak consumer confidence to blame say experts. Little sign that U.K. property “weakness” is likely to change. London property bubble appears to be bursting.

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FX Daily, June 28: US Dollar Remains Firm, Sends Yuan, Rupee, Sterling and Kiwi to New 2018 Lows

2018-06-28

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2018-06-28

The US dollar is consolidating its gains against most of the major currencies, but the underlying strength remains evident. Several major and emerging market currencies are at new lows for the year, including sterling and the New Zealand dollar, but also the yuan, rupee, and the rupiah.

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Geneva set to vote on world’s highest minimum wage

2018-06-28

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2018-06-28

In May 2014, Switzerland voted against a minimum wage of CHF 22 an hour. At some point voters in the canton of Geneva will get to vote on a similar initiative, which would apply only in the canton. Similar to the federal vote, which was rejected by 76.3% of Swiss voters, the plan calls for a minimum hourly wage of CHF 23 ($US 23.40). Based on a 40-hour week, this works out at around CHF 4,000 per month.

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Make Capital Cheap and Labor Costly, and Guess What Happens?

2018-06-28

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2018-06-28

Price Changes, 1996 - 2016
Employment expands in the Protected cartel-dominated sectors, and declines in every sector exposed to globalization, domestic competition and cheap capital. If you want to understand why the global economy is failing the many while enriching the few, start with the basics: capital, labor and resources. What happens when central banks drop interest rates to near-zero? Capital becomes dirt-cheap.

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Gold Exports To London From U.S. Surge 152 percent In 2018

2018-06-28

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2018-06-28

Total US Gold Exports To The UK, Jan-Apr 2018
Gold Exports To London From U.S. Surge 152% In 2018. – U.S. gold exports to UK (primarily) London jumped over 150% from 25.5 metric tons to 64.3 mt in the first four months of 2018 (yoy). – Largest countries receiving U.S. gold exports are China/ Hong Kong, Switzerland and the UK. – U.S. gold exports to London (UK) alone nearly as much as total U.S. gold production. – Gold flowing from weak hands in West to strong hands in the East

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Buying more time

2018-06-27

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2018-06-27

Swiss Headline Inflation and SNB Inflation Forecasts, 2000 - 2018
At its quarterly monetary policy assessment last week, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) kept unchanged the target range for the three-month Libor at between -1.25% and -0.25% and the interest rate on sight deposits at a record low of -0.75%. The SNB reiterated its willingness to intervene in the foreign exchange market if needed.

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EU Unemployment Rule change could cost Switzerland dearly

2018-06-27

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2018-06-27

Currently, across EU and EFTA countries, unemployment benefits are paid by the country of residence. Last week, the EU announced plans to make the country of employment pay unemployment benefits instead. This change could be costly for Swiss cantons with large numbers of cross-border workers, workers who live in the EU but work in Switzerland.

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FX Daily, June 27: Renminbi Slide Continues and Oil Extends Surge

2018-06-27

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2018-06-27

The US dollar is mostly firmer today, though has slipped back below the JPY110 level, as lower yields and equities support the Japanese yen. The main story in the foreign exchange market today is the continued slide in the Chinese renminbi. The decline is the sharpest since the 2015 devaluation.

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Dear High School Graduates: the Status Quo “Solutions” Enrich the Few at Your Expense

2018-06-27

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2018-06-27

Student Loans Debt 2008-2018
You deserve a realistic account of the economy you're joining. Dear high school graduates: please glance at these charts before buying into the conventional life-course being promoted by the status quo. Here's the summary: the status quo is pressuring you to accept its "solutions": borrow mega-bucks to attend college, then buy a decaying bungalow or hastily constructed stucco box for $800,000 in a "desirable" city, pay sky-high income and property...

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