Last week UBS released its real estate bubble index for the last quarter of 2015. According to the bank, the risk moved from 1.34 in Q3 2015, to finish the year at 1.41. Anything over 1.0 is considered risky and anything beyond 2.0 is bubble territory. Before property prices crashed in the 1990s, the index rose […]
Swiss stocks suffer amid global sell off as financial heavyweights are punished.
12 February 2016 – Swiss and global market roundup. Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. The SMI is expected to underperform global markets again this week after stocks lost further ground on rapidly declining global investor sentiment. Equity markets around the world tumbled as Japan, Europe and emerging Asia suffered heavy losses with global banking stocks […]
Speeding skier convicted after hitting another skier on a piste at Verbier
Speeding down a piste at Verbier in March 2014, a skier hit a German tourist from behind. The German tourist was skiing normally, but because he was hit from behind, he had no chance to avoid the impact, which dislocated his shoulder and broke one of his bones. The other skier broke his ankle, however his […]
Swiss vote to automatically expel foreign criminals. Sensible or perverse?
In 2010, 52.9% of Swiss voters agreed that foreigners convicted of certain crimes should be deported. Following the vote, in March 2015, Switzerland’s parliament approved laws enacting the measure. The Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP), the vote’s organiser, cried foul, claimed the new laws watered down the original text, and proposed a more rigid formulation that voters […]
Swiss asylum requests dropped in January
Statistics released today show the number of asylum requests fell by nearly a quarter in January, compared to December. A total of 3,618 applications were lodged during the month. The largest number, 1,224, came from Afghanistan, followed by Syria (488), Iraq (367) and Eritrea (233). The Swiss State Secretariat of Migration said that numbers typically drop during […]
Have you ever wondered what Adele might sound like in Swiss German?
Below, the 23 year old Swiss singer Marina Ortega sings the Adele track “Hello” in Swiss German. Her Swiss German version was posted on her the music sharing website Soundcloud. On her Facebook page she describes herself as a singer and songwriter with a passion for motorsport. The singer from Lake Zurich started playing the piano when she was […]
European stocks at recession prices show faith faltering on growth
Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. European shares declined for a sixth day as investors fretted over global growth prospects. For European investors trying to assess just how bad sentiment is right now, consider this: the last time stocks were this low, the region had just suffered its longest-ever recession and corporate profits were about […]
What could the Chinese year of the fire monkey bring to Switzerland?
Every year in the Chinese lunar calendar is associated with one of 12 animals combined with one of five elements: metal (gold), earth, water, wood or fire. This year is the year of the fire monkey and celebrations to mark the new year take place on 8 February 2016. Fire monkeys have large personalities but are prone to irritability. […]
Swiss stocks slump on disappointing earnings and gloomy economic outlook
5 February 2016 – Swiss and global market roundup. Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. The SMI is set to underperform global markets this week after stocks lost ground on disappointing earnings reports and gloomy economic data releases. Stock markets around the world are also set to finish the week mostly lower as the fluctuating oil […]
Credit Suisse surprises market with large loss
Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. Last October, Credit Suisse Group AG Chief Executive Officer Tidjane Thiam called two of his bank’s businesses the “ugly ducklings that no one likes.” He’s just been reminded why. The Zurich-based lender’s units that trade corporate bonds and securitized products contributed about $500 million in so- called mark-to-market losses […]
