Tag Archives: Featured

In a world dominated by mobile capital, mobile capital is the comparative advantage. Defenders and critics of “free trade” and globalization tend to present the issue as either/or: it’s inherently good or bad. In the real world, it’s not that simple. The confusion starts with defining free trade (and by extension, globalization). In the classical definition of free trade espoused by 18th century British economist David...

Despite tensions since the beginning of the year, there is no evidence of FX market interventions by the Swiss central bank. SNB FX Intervention In the wake of the financial crisis, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) increased massively the monetary base to provide liquidity and limit the Swiss franc’s appreciation. The expansion in the monetary base can essentially be seen in the form of an increase in sight deposits held...

Zurich/Basel, 9 March 2018 – The Annual Report 2017 provides comprehensive and detailed information on the firm, its strategy, business, governance, financial performance and risk, treasury and capital management, as well as on the regulatory and operating environment for the financial year 2017. UBS net profit attributable to shareholders for 2017 was CHF 1.1 billion and diluted earnings per share were CHF 0.27. The...

Sergio Ermotti, CEO of UBS, as seen during a press conference earlier this year (Keystone) The chief executive of Switzerland’s largest bank UBS received CHF14.2 million ($14.92 million) in compensation for 2017, up from CHF13.7 million in 2016, UBS said on Friday. The announcement comes at a time when executive pay and bonuses are under increased scrutiny in Switzerland. In all, the bankexternal link’s 11-person...

This will be the fourth attempt in two decades to reform the state pension system because of a structural deficit (Keystone) - Click to enlarge The Swiss government on Friday fixed the outlines of a new state pension reform plan, including raising VAT to fund it, and raising the retirement age for women from 64 to 65. The proposed reform is to be financed by an increase in VAT of up to 1.7%. Home Affairs Minister...

Summary Indonesia will freeze prices for electricity, gasoline, and diesel fuel until next year. US President Trump and North Korean President Kim Jong Un will hold a summit meeting this spring. National Bank of Poland has tilted even more dovish. Moody’s downgraded Turkey a notch to Ba2 with a stable outlook. Saudi Arabian Energy Minister hinted that the Aramco IPO could be delayed until 2019. Tanzania finally...

A Warning Signal from Market Internals Readers may recall that we looked at various market internals after the sudden sell-offs in August 2015 and January 2016 in order to find out if any of them had provided clear  advance warning. One that did so was the SPX new highs/new lows percent index (HLP). Below is the latest update of this indicator. S&P 500 New High Lows Percent, Feb 2015 - Apr 2018(see more posts on...

(About to set off on another business trip. I will spend the next two weeks in Asia. The updates will be sporadic. Thanks for your patience.) Swiss Franc The Euro has fallen by 0.01% to 1.1706 CHF. EUR/CHF and USD/CHF, March 09(see more posts on EUR/CHF, USD/CHF, ) Source: markets.ft.com - Click to enlarge FX Rates The US Administration has softened its initial hardline position of no exemptions for the new...

M Berset a présenté, ce 2 mars, les lignes directrices de sa réforme de l’AVS. Nous en retiendrons deux propositions phares. La première consiste à faire passer la TVA de 7,7% à 9,4%. M Berset impose une majoration de celle-ci de plus de 22%! L’information nous arrive au lendemain d’une annonce d’un excédent de 4,8 milliards de francs sur l’exercice 2017!  Deux milliards avaient été provisionnés pour l’impôt anticipé…....

The Swiss firm, Stadler Rail, has rejected reports that it signed off on a major infrastructure contract with Iran’s Industrial Development & Renovation Organization for 960 wagons for an underground railway system. The companyexternal link said there is no deal or decision but merely a public tender, according to SRF public radio. The details of the reported deal remain unclear (Keystone) - Click...