Tag Archives: Investec Switzerland

Investec Switzerland. The SMI is set to finish this week more than 2% higher, showing modest outperformance against global equity markets as cyclical companies from banks to luxury goods surged on improving investor sentiment.  European shares experienced their longest winning streak since early March this week buoyed by a strong performance from the banking sector and signs that China’s economy is finally stabilizing. © Rad100 | Dreamstime.com Global banking stocks...

Investec Switzerland. The SMI finished this Easter week 1.10% lower, tracking losses on global equity markets (-0.71%) following the terrorist attacks in Brussels on Wednesday. Stock markets lost momentum after the attacks as investors failed to find fresh catalysts to keep the five-week long equity rally going. Zaventem airport Brussels – © Bombaert | Dreamstime.com Commodity prices also fell this week and the US dollar strengthened on the back of higher US oil...

Investec Switzerland. The Swiss economy returned to growth at the end of last year as it fought off the impact of a currency shock that had threatened to push the country into a recession. Gross domestic product rose 0.4 percent in the three months through December, after contracting 0.1 percent in the prior quarter, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs in Bern said on Wednesday. That’s the strongest quarter in a year and beats the median economist estimate for a 0.1...

Investec Switzerland. The SMI is set to close modestly higher this week, although lagging behind gains of global equity markets. Stock markets around the world benefited from a substantial rebound in the price of crude oil this week which has been a key driver of investor sentiment recently. The limited exposure of the SMI to the oil and energy sector explains some of the indexes underperformance against the MSCI World lately. © Solarseven | Dreamstime.com This week’s...

Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. Once again, Switzerland is getting saddled with unwanted currency appreciation due to other nations’ struggles. The franc posted its biggest gain since August against the euro as concern that the U.K. may exit the European Union dragged down the pound and with it the 19-nation shared currency. China’s decision to cut its daily yuan fixing by the most in six weeks also spurred demand for the safest assets. The franc jumped against all of its Group-of-10...

Investec Switzerland. The SMI is set to close higher this week tracking gains of global equity markets. The SMI recovered almost a third of its year to date losses this week on higher oil prices, hopes of new Chinese economic stimulus and a lower than previously expected pace of US rate hikes. © Naiyanab | Dreamstime.com While turbulence in financial markets eased in this week, investors are still monitoring the global glut in crude oil and whether Chinese leaders will...

Investec Switzerland. European shares declined for a sixth day as investors fretted over global growth prospects. © Audiohead | Dreamstime.com For European investors trying to assess just how bad sentiment is right now, consider this: the last time stocks were this low, the region had just suffered its longest-ever recession and corporate profits were about to shrink a third year. Signs of an improving economy haven’t deterred bears from punishing the Euro Stoxx 50 Index...

Investec Switzerland. The SMI is set to underperform global markets this week after stocks lost ground on disappointing earnings reports and gloomy economic data releases. Stock markets around the world are also set to finish the week mostly lower as the fluctuating oil price, global growth concerns and deflationary pressures continue to rattle investor confidence. © Patrick Poendl | Dreamstime.com A Bad week for Swiss banks The underperformance from Swiss equities this...

Investec Switzerland. Switzerland is welcoming ChemChina’s $43 billion takeover of Syngenta SA, the Alpine nation’s biggest-ever deal, with open arms. © Dusan Kostic | Dreamstime.com The only continental European country to strike a free-trade agreement with China, Switzerland has long been an attractive hunting ground for companies from the Asian giant. Unlike the U.S., which has blocked Chinese deals and where the ChemChina’s Syngenta purchase may face regulatory...

Investec Switzerland. UBS’s results are a reminder that even the strongest boats are being buffeted by the storm in financial markets. Tuesday’s slump in profit from both investment banking and wealth management sent the shares to the lowest in a year. It also puts in question the premium valuation the bank has enjoyed over its peers. The Swiss bank has been the model for European firms looking to reinvent themselves after the financial crisis — it moved decisively in 2012...