Archive – Banking & Fintech

Nineteenth century hotel rediscovers its soul

This content was published on Apr 6, 2007 There are more than 30 establishments belonging to the Swiss Historic Hotels association, with a combined history of more than four millennia. That’s according to Martin Küttel, the youthful and spirited director of the Pax Montana hotel and – as association president – guardian of Switzerland’s hotel history. The association was formed three years ago,…

Swiss struggle to convert homes into castles

This content was published on Apr 5, 2007 Just over a third of Swiss homes are owner-occupied with the vast majority rented thanks to a mixture of regulations favouring tenants and the high cost of getting on the property ladder. Switzerland’s Home Owners’ Association and representatives from canton Basel Country have both set out similar plans to allow people to save towards buying…

Swiss sip less and less wine

This content was published on Apr 5, 2007 The Swiss drank just over 270 million litres of wine – 2.5 per cent less than in 2006. The total amount consumed was down for both Swiss wine (-4 per cent) and foreign wine (-1.6 per cent). Figures in the report Wine Year 2006 show that consumers drank just over 50.9 million litres of Swiss…

Ski pistes go for a song

This content was published on Apr 5, 2007 But there’s a catch – the new owner is expected to keep on 12 staff and pay for renovations. The main reason the commune – or rather its ski lift company – can no longer afford to run the operation is because it needs to invest SFr1.5 million ($1.23 million) to renew its equipment. Health…

Railways drives finances back into the black

This content was published on Apr 4, 2007 The improvement came after most operational sectors recorded better results and the liquidation of reserves worth SFr131 million. But despite the good news, not everyone is smiling on the railways. In mid-December, industrial action by railway workers was diverted at the 11th hour when management and public sector unions reached agreement over restructuring plans. Had…

Swiss get a taste of “Naked Chef’s” pukka grub

This content was published on Apr 4, 2007 The 32-year-old Essex lad, who has become one of the most famous chefs in the world, has teamed up with a leading supermarket chain to sell “kitchen kit and cupboard stuff” to the Swiss. Jamie Oliver seems to be the current golden boy of culinary television. His TV cooking programmes have become cult viewing in…

Swiss deminers clear path for 70,000 in Laos

This content was published on Apr 4, 2007 The Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) aims to return the land to 70,000 inhabitants in central and southern parts of the country that were recently hit by major food shortages. The two-year project, revealed on the eve of Wednesday’s International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, is being funded by the…

More rich foreigners lured by tax breaks

This content was published on Apr 3, 2007 The number of tax exiles reached 4,175 last year up from 2,394 in 2003, according to a survey by consultancy group KPMG. The policy has attracted critics both within and outside the country. Earlier this year a spokesman for French Socialist presidential candidate Ségolène Royal accused Switzerland of “banditry” after Johnny Hallyday, a French rock…

Financial experts welcome “rosy situation”

This content was published on Apr 3, 2007 The economic institute added on Tuesday that risks from inflation would remain small. Gross domestic product (GDP) was seen increasing by 2.4 per cent in 2007 by KOF’s specialists, up from an earlier forecast of 2.1 per cent. For 2008 the institute pencilled in growth at 2.5 per cent, up from 1.5 per cent. “We…

Swiss cities continue to top world rankings

This content was published on Apr 2, 2007 Geneva came in second position, ahead of Vancouver, Vienna and Auckland. European, Canadian and Australian cities continue to dominate the rankings, which saw little movement among the top 50 cities and none among the top ten. Mercer’s yearly worldwide quality of living survey evaluates 215 cities on 39 criteria including political, social, economic and environmental…

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