Banking & Fintech

Massive aluminium merger falls through

This content was published on Apr 13, 2000 The French aluminium group, Pechiney, has confirmed that its mega-merger with the Canadian and Swiss concerns, Alcan and Algroup, has fallen through. However, Algroup says it will still go ahead with a merger with Alcan. A statement issued by the Paris-based Pechiney group said its planned merger with Alcan and Algroup had failed because of…

Bumper Winter Bonanza for Swiss Hotels

This content was published on Apr 13, 2000 The Swiss hotel industry has reported glowing winter results for the 1999/2000 season, with an increase of nearly two per cent in overnight stays compared to last winter. Despite a spell of stormy weather in December, the increase is mainly down to the fact that the rest of the season had good snow conditions. In…

Catering group, Mövenpick, loses steam

This content was published on Apr 13, 2000 The hotel and catering group, Mövenpick, saw a dramatic drop in net profits last year. The company said the main reasons were high costs for product and market development. Mövenpick announced a drop in net profits to SFr37 million from SFr272 million in the previous year. But turnover rose by more than 10 per cent…

Roche and Ciba Specialty Chemicals enjoy turnover success

This content was published on Apr 13, 2000 The Basel-based pharmaceuticals giant, Roche, has reported a 17 per cent increase in turnover in the first quarter of this year, compared to the same period in 1999. The biggest growth areas were the concern’s pharmaceuticals division, with a turnover of more than SFr4.5 billion, and diagnostics with a turnover of Sfr1.4 billion. Roche also…

Captains of industry call for sweeping tax cuts

This content was published on Apr 13, 2000 The main players within the Swiss economy have put forward a new long-term tax concept that calls for fewer taxes to make Switzerland more competitive. Business leaders are calling for tax cuts of up to SFr6 billion over the next few years. It was presented Thursday in Berne at a news conference organised by the…

Swiss franc to leave gold standard in May

This content was published on Apr 12, 2000 The Swiss government is putting a new currency law into force at the beginning of May. This formally severs the long-standing link between the Swiss franc and the gold standard. It will permit the national bank to re-evaluate its gold reserves, and allow the envisaged sell-off of half of the country’s 2,600 tonne bullion reserve.…

Good outlook for housing market

This content was published on Apr 12, 2000 The Swiss real estate sector has recovered from its nadir of the 1990s, according to a report from the Economic Research Department of Credit Suisse. The 1990s real estate crisis was rooted in the boom years of the previous decade when the economic feel-good factor caused an over-production of commercial property. This led to a…

OECD committee calls for more bank information for tax purposes

This content was published on Apr 12, 2000 A committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has recommended that all member countries should permit tax authorities to have access to bank information, directly or indirectly. The report, published in Paris, encourages such information so that tax authorities can fully gather taxes and exchange information. There had been speculation that the report…

Geneva turns into magnet for gadgets

This content was published on Apr 11, 2000 The world’s most important inventions fair has opened in Geneva, with nearly 700 exhibitors from over 40 countries showing off the gadgets that you won’t be able to live without in five year’s time. The International Exhibition of Inventions, New Techniques and Products, to give it its full title, is now in its 28th year.…

Name that tune on the hop

This content was published on Apr 11, 2000 A small Swiss firm has solved the problem of identifying songs on the radio for people on the move, particularly youngsters. The Minick company, based near Zurich, has devised a system called “mobileSound” which uses the mobile telephone to relay short messages (SMS) to and from radio stations. You can even order music this way.…

Banking & Fintech

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Banking & Fintech

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Massive aluminium merger falls through

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Bumper Winter Bonanza for Swiss Hotels

More

Catering group, Mövenpick, loses steam

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Roche and Ciba Specialty Chemicals enjoy turnover success

More

Captains of industry call for sweeping tax cuts

More

Swiss franc to leave gold standard in May

More

Good outlook for housing market

More

OECD committee calls for more bank information for tax purposes

More

Geneva turns into magnet for gadgets

More

Name that tune on the hop

Popular Stories

Most Discussed