SNB & CHF

Switzerland may be highly innovative, but getting funding for start-ups is tough and many are going abroad for venture capital. According to an annual European Union survey, Switzerland continuously outperforms all EU member states in the field of innovation. But when it comes to marketing the products developed, start-ups struggle to finance their launch. (RTS/swissinfo.ch) --- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on...

Tourist bosses in the Bernese Alps are trying to overcome cultural differences between Swiss hosts and their visitors from China and Gulf states. Language problems and different habits can lead to misunderstandings and communication problems. Interlaken Tourism has been organising workshops for hotels and caterers who handle visitors with different cultural expectations. It’s an increasingly important concern as visitors from China and Arab nations increase. (SRF/swissinfo.ch) ---...

Arguably Switzerland’s biggest pop star, Sophie Hunger explains why performing is the only place where she would rather be. At the end of 2013 Sophie Hunger took a time-out in San Francisco. Her new album “Super Moon” is the result of a break of almost two years: a multifaceted album with 18 songs that transcend musical boundaries. (SRF/swissinfo.ch) -- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a...

Mainstream economists tell us that the Federal Reserve protects us from economic waves, indeed from the business cycle itself. In their view, people naturally tend to go overboard and cause wild swings in both directions. Thus, we need an economic central planner to alternatively stimulate us and then take away the punch bowl. Prior to the global financial crisis of 2008, a popular term described the supposed benefits created by the Fed. The Great Moderation referred to the reduced...

The Safe-haven government bond bubble did not pop, but Italy or Spain have become low yielders as well Government bond yields under 10 years for safe-havens are close to zero. In April 2013, even 20 year bond yields are less than 3%, What can explain this bubble of the century? Latest Data May 2015: A big Bond Sell-Off has started (from JGBs, over German Bunds to US Treasuries). Via Zerohedge: Having briefly tested above 3.00% on Thursday, for the first time since December 2nd, 2014, the...

“The top 25 hedge fund managers made more than all the kindergarten teachers in the country,” declared President Obama in a discussion of poverty at Georgetown University. Calling them “society’s lottery winners,” he proposed to hike their taxes. Hedge Funds vs Kindergarten: Who is worth more? Predictably, battle lines have been formed between two polarized sides. One side—let’s call them the Gauche for convenience’s sake—is unhappy with the pay disparity. CBS News, in an almost neutral...

Our monetary system is failing, but explaining that isn’t easy. The most popular argument is that the dollar has falling purchasing power and rising inflation. The problem with this argument is that consumer prices aren’t skyrocketing now. So, of course, people remain skeptical. Yields across all markets were falling worldwide. This causes the income generated from assets to fall. I wrote about this serious problem last time, introducing the concept of yield purchasing power—which is how...

The zero-fuel Solar Impulse plane depends on perfect weather for its journey around the world. All forecasts are made by a team of specialists in Monaco, who also work out the best flight route. (RTS/swissinfo.ch) Swiss aviation pioneers Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg are currently on the China leg of their first solar plane journey around the world. The pilots are constantly assisted by their team of meteorologists and engineers at headquarters in Monaco. At the Solar Impulse control...

A Swiss medical research company has developed a device that can recognise epileptic seizures before they happen. The prototype was presented at the recent international brain forum in Lausanne, jointly hosted by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL). Scientists, business leaders and policymakers met to discuss innovative technological solutions, medical devices and medications to enhance brain functions and treat the growing number of neurological disorders like epilepsy....

Researchers in a mountain lab have been working on technology that would safely dispose of nuclear waste. (SRF/swissinfo.ch) The Federal Office of Energy has the overall responsibility for the three-stage selection process for one to two sites for geological repositories of nuclear waste. The cabinet at the end of 2011 approved six areas, which meet the requirements according to the National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste, NAGRA, most of them north of Zurich, close to the...