© Valeriya Potapova | Dreamstime.com Today, Switzerland’s parliament decided to bring in a system of regular increases in the deductibles for basic compulsory Swiss health insurance, according to the newspaper Le Matin. However, a plan to raise the the minimum deductible to CHF 500 was rejected by a clear majority. Between 1996 and 2004, the minimum deductible went from CHF 150 to CHF 300. Higher deductibles up to a...
Read More »There at the Beginning
Sometimes it is difficult to gain perspective. That is why it may be difficult to see the forest for the trees. It is as we spend most of our time climbing a mountain: One handhold and foothold at a time. Immediacy and urgency limit our peripheral and forward visions. The end of the first expansion since the Great Financial Crisis may be drawing close. There is a concern among officials and investors that the tools that...
Read More »No Sign of Stimulus, Or Global Growth, China’s Economy Sunk By (euro)Dollar
Najib Tun Razak was elected as Malaysia’s Prime Minister in early 2009. Taking office that April amid global turmoil and chaos, Najib’s first official visit was to Beijing in early June. His father, also Malaysia’s Prime Minister, had been the first among Asian nations to open formal diplomatic relations with China thirty-five years before. Celebrating the milestone might’ve been the proposed purpose behind the state...
Read More »Euro slides against the dollar on ECB dovishness
The euro has declined further against the dollar but should strengthen over next 12 months The euro fell to a 20-month low against the US dollar following the European Central Bank’s (ECB) March policy meeting, given the revised forward guidance that suggests that the interest rate differential is unlikely to provide much upside to the euro in the next few months. That being said, recent euro area PMI surveys tend to...
Read More »Three Swiss cities ranked in world’s top 10 most livable
© Scanrail | Dreamstime.com Mercer’s 2019 livability ranking looks at 231 cities across the globe. Vienna comes top for the tenth year in a row, while Bagdad ranks last. Three Swiss cities are among the global top ten. Zurich is 2nd, Geneva 9th and Basel 10th. Bern, a fourth Swiss city, is not far behind in 14th place. No other Swiss cities were included in the survey so there is no way of knowing where Lausanne...
Read More »FX Daily, March 15: Euro and Yen Volatility Slips to New Five-Year Lows on the Ides of March
Swiss Franc The Euro has risen by 0.09% at 1.1354 EUR/CHF and USD/CHF, March 15(see more posts on EUR/CHF, USD/CHF, ) Source: markets.ft.com - Click to enlarge FX Rates Overview: The capital markets are calm ahead of the weekend. Outside of Australia and Thailand, Asia Pacific equities advanced, while European shares are mostly little changed. The regional benchmarks, like the S&P 500 have recouped last week’s...
Read More »Pound to Swiss Franc Forecast: GBP/CHF rate hits near 1-year high
It is now very close to the best time to buy Swiss Francs with pounds since May 2018. The stronger pound and a reduced global risk appetite has seen the move on the GBP/CHF pairing. This is presenting a much improved opportunity to buy Swiss Francs with pounds. Any client wishing to buy or sell on this pairing might benefit from a quick review with our team to best understand what is next, and the potential outcomes....
Read More »What Sort of “Democracy” Do We Have If Everyone’s Goal Is Maximizing Their Government Swag?
The “marketplace” of individuals and entities all seeking to maximize their share of the central-state swag doesn’t make a democracy. A democratic republic is a government in which power flows from citizens to their elected representatives. The American revolutionaries did not make a big distinction between republic and democracy, for in the context of the late 1700s, the dominant political structure was monarchy, and...
Read More »UBS fined and denied right to sponsor IPOs in Hong Kong
The Hong Kong SFC accused UBS of substandard due diligence and failure to address red flags. (Keystone) Swiss bank UBS has been fined HK$375 million (CHF48 million) for irregularities involving three IPOs it had help list on the Hong Kong stock exchange in 2009. Its licence to sponsor IPOs in the city was also suspended for one year. On Thursday, Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) announced the measures...
Read More »FX Daily, March 14: Another UK Vote, but No Closure
Swiss Franc The Euro has fallen by 0.19% at 1.1346 EUR/CHF and USD/CHF, March 14(see more posts on EUR/CHF, USD/CHF, ) Source: markets.ft.com - Click to enlarge FX Rates Overview: The Brexit drama continues to play out, and the Withdrawal Bill that has been twice defeated is ironically not dead yet. Today’s vote, in fact, is predicated on another “meaningful vote” before seeking an extension. Sterling remains firm...
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