Anxiety about an increase in Covid19 cases and fears of a second wave coupled with revelations of historic money laundering practices of major global banks weighed heavily on financial markets yesterday. Precious metals were not immune to the sell off which saw gold below $1,900 and silver off a whopping 12% during intraday trading. The following charts show the short term support that halted the rout in precious metals by the end of the day. With the negative news...
Read More »FINMA rügt Bank SYZ wegen Verstössen in der Geldwäschereibekämpfung
Die Eidgenössische Finanzmarktaufsicht FINMA hat in einem Enforcementverfahren festgestellt, dass die Bank SYZ SA gegen die Geldwäschereibestimmungen verstossen hatte. Die Verstösse erfolgten im Kontext einer sehr bedeutenden Geschäftsbeziehung mit einem Kunden aus Angola. Im Februar 2020 eröffnete die FINMA ein Enforcementverfahren gegen die Bank SYZ SA, um Hinweisen auf Verstösse gegen die Geldwäschereibestimmungen nachzugehen. Diese Hinweise betrafen eine sehr...
Read More »Swiss regulator censures Bank Syz over money laundering
FINMA described the bank’s money laundering processes as “inadequate” and reprimanded it for a breach of its duty of due diligence in relation to anti-money laundering rules. © Keystone / Gaetan Bally The Swiss financial market regulator FINMA has reprimanded Bank Syz for breaching money laundering rules involving a business relationship with an Angolan client. “FINMA found that the bank did not make sufficient efforts to investigate the substantial growth in the...
Read More »Rapid Covid-19 tests could offer a path back to normal
Some countries like India have made rapid antigen tests a key part of their strategy for containing the coronavirus. Keystone / Str Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche plans to launch a test that can detect the coronavirus in 15 minutes. Could tests like this become the norm? With no vaccine in sight for at least a few months, testing is becoming a more important part of containing the coronavirus. Antigen tests, which detect the presence of a specific viral antigen...
Read More »“The U.S. economy felt like a balloon in search of a needle” – Part II
Interview with Robert Mark: Claudio Grass (CG): In this surreal policy environment, how has the role and the investment process of the value investor evolved, especially over the last decade? How can one still identify value in a world of subsidized binge borrowing, extreme indebtedness, and stock buybacks? Robert Mark (RM): The patriarch of value investing, Ben Graham, once said, “In the short run the market is a voting machine, but in the long run it is a...
Read More »Dollar Firm as Markets Digest Rising Virus Numbers
Markets are digesting the rising infection rates across Europe; the dollar is taking another stab at the upside Speculation is picking up that a compromise on a stimulus package could be reached; reports suggest House Democrats are working on a new $2.4 trln package as a basis for these negotiations Reports suggest Fed Governor Lael Brainard is a top candidate for Treasury Secretary if Biden were to win; today is a quiet day in the US Colombia is expected to cut...
Read More »Zak vs Neon: Best Swiss digital bank account in 2020?
(Disclosure: Some of the links below may be affiliate links) Zak and Neon are two good Swiss Digital bank accounts. They are both entirely digital and accessible through mobile applications. The great thing about these bank accounts is that they are significantly cheaper than conventional bank accounts. Their low prices are what make their success. And they have some attractive features. But which one should you choose? Which of Zak vs Neon is better for you? Let’s...
Read More »FX Daily, September 25: Sentiment Remains Fragile Ahead of the Weekend
Swiss Franc The Euro has fallen by 0.13% to 1.0801 EUR/CHF and USD/CHF, September 25(see more posts on EUR/CHF, USD/CHF, ) Source: markets.ft.com - Click to enlarge FX Rates Overview: The dramatic week is finishing on a quieter note. The modest gains in US equities yesterday helped the Asia Pacific performance today. Most markets but China and Hong Kong pared the weekly losses, and easing regulations in Australia spurred a rally in financials that saw its stock...
Read More »Monetary policy assessment of 24 September 2020
Swiss National Bank maintains expansionary monetary policy The coronavirus pandemic continues to exert a strong influence on economic developments. The SNB is therefore maintaining its expansionary monetary policy. In so doing, it aims to cushion the negative impact of the pandemic on economic activity and inflation. The SNB is keepingthe SNB policy rate and interest on sight deposits at the SNB at −0.75%.In view of the fact that the Swiss franc is still highly...
Read More »2500 students quarantined at Lausanne’s hotel school
EHL – source Wikipedia Around three quarters of the students at the hotel school of Lausanne (EHL) have been placed in quarantine after a number of students tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, reported RTS. The 2,500 students affected will be isolated until 28 September 2020 to stop the spread of the virus. The Swiss canton of Vaud, where recorded infections recently reached 213 per 100,000 over 14 days, is currently Switzerland’s Covid-19 hotspot. Eleven students spread...
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