Tag Archives: Featured

There seems to be a broad consensus on the trajectory of policy in the remaining weeks of the year. Barring a major shock or surprise the Federal Reserve will hike rates next month. The ECB’s course is set until at least the middle of next year when the current policy will begin to be debated in earnest. The BOJ’s Kuroda has made it clear that the BOJ will continue to pursue Quantitative and Qualitative Easing (QQE) and...

A doctor looks at an X-ray of a torso with her patient Just over 20% of Swiss residents decided not to see a doctor last year for medical treatment due to the high costs, according to a new report. This is one of the findings of the Health at a Glance 2017 report published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on Friday. The share of the population foregoing a doctor’s consultation due to...

– Gold coins and bars saw demand rise 17% to 222t in Q3, driven largely by China – Chinese investors bought price dips, notching up fourth consecutive quarter of growth– Jewellery, ETF demand fell while gold coins and bars saw increased demand – Central banks bought a robust 111t of gold bullion bars (+25% y-o-y) – Russia, Turkey & Kazakhstan account for 90% of 111t of central bank demand – Turkey increased gold...

Daniel M. (standing) at the trial. A Swiss man on trial in Frankfurt has been found guilty of spying on the tax authorities of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). ‘Daniel M.’ was handed a suspended sentence of 22 months and a fine of €40,000 (CHF46,600). The verdict brings to a premature end the twists and turns of a case that brought scrutiny on Swiss-German diplomatic relations since the arrest of the...

Big Crunch or Big Chill Physicists say that the universe is expanding. However, they hotly debate (OK, pun intended as a foreshadowing device) if the rate of expansion is sufficient to overcome gravity—called escape velocity. It may seem like an arcane topic, but the consequences are dire either way. If the rate of expansion is too low, then it will get slower and slower until expansion stops entirely, then finally,...

There is no argument that the New Deal of the 1930’s completely changed the political situation in America, including the fundamental relationship of the government to its people. The way it came about was entirely familiar, a sense from among a large (enough) portion of the general population that the paradigm of the time no longer worked. It was only for whichever political party that spoke honestly to that...

Summary China announced that it will remove foreign ownership limits on banks and other measures to open up the financial sector. Central Bank of Turkey lowered commercial bank FX reserve requirements in an effort to support the lira. US-Turkey relations appear to be thawing slightly. Middle East tensions are rising on a variety of fronts. Argentina central bank unexpectedly hiked rates again. Former President Cardoso...

The case against the Munich-based luxury car manufacturer was first sparked by a customer complaint in 2010. (Keystone) - Click to enlarge Switzerland’s highest court has confirmed a CHF157 million ($158 million) fine against German luxury carmaker BMW for blocking car shipments to Switzerland. The fine was originally levied on BMWexternal link by Switzerland’s Competition Commissionexternal link (COMCO)...

– Diversify, rebalance investments and prepare for interest rate rises – UK launches inquiry into household finances as £200bn debt pile looms – Centuries of data forewarn of rapid reversal from ultra low interest rates – 700-year average real interest rate is 4.78% (must see chart) – Massive global debt bubble – over $217 trillion (see table) – Global debt levels are building up to a gigantic tidal wave – Move to safe...

Simple Classifications Let’s begin with facts.  Cold hard unadorned facts. Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit at standard atmospheric pressure.  Squaring the circle using a compass and straightedge is impossible.  The sun is a star. The sun is not just a star, it is a benevolent star. Look, it is smiling… sort of. - Click to enlarge Facts, of course, must not be confused with opinions, which are based upon...