Tag Archives: Featured

07.06.2021 – The consumer price index (CPI) increased by 0.3% in May 2021 compared with the previous month, reaching 101.0 points (December 2020 = 100). Inflation was +0.6% compared with the same month of the previous year. These are the results of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).The 0.3% increase compared with the previous month is due to several factors including rising prices for housing rentals. International package holidays also recorded a price increase,...

People caught on that the returns on the frenzied hamster wheel of “normal” have been diminishing for decades, but everyone was too busy to notice. The superficial “return to normal” narrative focuses solely on first order effects: now that people can dispense with masks and social distancing, they are resuming their pre-pandemic spending orgy with a vengeance, which augurs great profits for Corporate America and higher tax revenues. Yea for “return to normal. “This...

Calm waters, but for how long? Zug is one Swiss canton that could come under pressure to raise corporate taxes Keystone / Alexandra Wey The decision by the leading industrial nations (G7) to support a global minimum tax of 15% for large corporations is not good news for Switzerland, according to Swiss economists. Certain cantons in particular would come under pressure. “The tax havens – often very small states – will suffer, but that’s also the goal,” Jan-Egbert...

The Federal Electricity Commission (ElCom) has again voiced concern about Switzerland’s ability to secure sufficient power supplies in the coming years. The majority of Switzerland’s electricity is produced by hydropower. © Keystone / Christian Beutler While there is no immediate danger of shortfalls in the Alpine state, the electricity watchdog said on Thursday that more should be done to ensure domestic energy security in the mid to long term. Switzerland is...

The recent spate of bombing violence in Israel’s West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza demonstrates the enduring attachment both Israelis and Palestinians have to physical land in the country. Both sides make claims—legal, moral, and political—to land within Israel, from the southernmost tip of Gaza to the northernmost tip of the Golan Heights. This ongoing and often violent dispute is based on interrelated historical and religious events reaching back thousands of...

Business and human rights experts argue that Switzerland should seize the opportunity to require responsible sourcing of cobalt, an in-demand mineral whose risks to human rights are often overlooked. Cobalt must be included in Swiss Responsible business Legislation - Click to enlarge The government is holding consultations on a new law to hold companies accountable for the adverse impact of their operations on people after the Responsible Business Initiative failed...

When we think of analyzing economic organizations, we generally think of firms and corporations. But there is another organization that is just as critical to economic development: the extended family. Indeed, the advantages offered by this institution are numerous and include risk sharing, mutual aid, human capital building, social capital building, and resource complementarity and coordination. Risk Sharing and Mutual Aid One of the most important roles of the...

Swiss Franc The Euro has fallen by 0.12% to 1.094 EUR/CHF and USD/CHF, June 04(see more posts on EUR/CHF, USD/CHF, ) Source: markets.ft.com - Click to enlarge FX Rates Overview: Stronger than expected US employment data, ahead of today’s monthly report and compromise proposal on corporate tax by the White House to help secure a deal on infrastructure sent US bond yields and the dollar high. Late dollar shorts were forced to cover. The greenback is mixed now,...

(Disclosure: Some of the links below may be affiliate links) Many people are saying that I make FIRE and early retirement look too simple. And many people are falling into the trap of believing that retiring early is easy. I want to delve into that important subject. For me, retiring early is simple, there is no doubt. However, it is not easy! The difference is fundamental. And there are no secrets to getting to FIRE. You need to focus your efforts on that goal. And...

A computer image of the planned underground logistics network. Cargo sous terrain Goods that are normally trucked on busy Swiss roads are a step closer to travelling underground on driverless vehicles after an ambitious cargo project got a first legislative go-ahead. Born in London, Simon is a multimedia journalist who has worked for www.swissinfo.ch since 2006. He speaks French, German and Spanish and covers the United Nations and other international...