Macroeconomics

As the global economy stares down the barrel of rising inequality and increased automation, more countries are toying with the idea of a universal basic income. But a new report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is less than enthusiastic. According to OECD research, welfare reforms that would introduce public payment of an unconditional basic income to everyone of working age are worth exploring but would do little to combat poverty if not financed by extra tax.

That conclusion is very problematic for a welfare reform that advocates bill as a solution to poverty. A small safety net of cash distributed to everyone regardless of income level or employment status, prevents people – but especially the poor – from slipping into destitution.

Overnight stays in hostels were added to the overall number by the Federal Statistical Office last year. Without them, the number of overnight stays in the first quarter would have fallen by 0.6 percent. The decline in Swiss and foreign visitors was roughly the same.

The three largest source markets of Swiss hotels, have all suffered decline in terms of visitor numbers. Among German guests the decline was 6.2%, with the number of overnight stays falling below the million mark for the first time in many years. But the Germans are still by far the most numerous group of foreigners in Swiss hotels, though the decline is massive. Ten years ago, there were 1.6 million overnight stays by German guests in the first quarter of the year.

The account of the Federal Reserve’s early May meeting, which the Fed published Wednesday, suggested the decision to raise interest rates in June still hangs in the balance.

“Members generally judged that it would be prudent to await additional evidence indicating that the recent slowdown in the pace of economic activity had been transitory before taking another step in removing accommodation,” the Fed said in an account, released after a standard three-week delay.

Swiss watch exports resumed a losing streak in April, hurt by weakness in the key markets of Hong Kong and the U.S. and weighed down by fewer working days.

Exports slipped 5.7 percent to 1.53 billion francs ($1.57 billion), the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry said Tuesday. For the first four months of the year, the variation is -3.6%. Analysts said shipments gained when adjusted for three fewer working days in April 2017, with Citigroup estimating a 10 percent gain. Exane BNP Paribas said shipments probably were up 7 percent to 8 percent, taking that into account.

The Swiss National Bank (SNB) will maintain its ultra-loose monetary policy to help rein in the strong franc, Chairman Thomas Jordan Swiss told Italian-language newspaper Corriere del Ticino, published on Thursday.

"The overvalued franc, the underutilisation of production capacity and low inflation make it necessary for us to stick to our expansive monetary policy," Jordan said.

Jordan said "The franc is still overvalued, which is why negative interest rates and our readiness to intervene in the forex market remain necessary," he explained.

The Swiss National Bank’s (SNB) policy of negative interest rates is not ideal but is nevertheless necessary in order to weaken Switzerland’s "significantly overvalued" currency, Chairman Thomas Jordan said on the sidelines of the Private Banking Day in Zurich on Thursday. "It’s not the case that we find it great to have negative interest rates," Jordan said during conference.

However, Jordan said negative interest rates, along with the central bank’s willingness to intervene in the currency were absolutely necessary in order to protect exporters from a stronger Swiss franc, which is a safe-haven currency in times of market stress. Those conditions will largely be dictated from abroad, particularly by the European Central Bank (ECB). He stressed Swiss monetary policy was a hostage to weak economic conditions in some EU states, which prompted the ECB to print trillions of euros and move euro interest rates into negative territory.

The Swiss National Bank unveiled the second note in its new banknote series on Wednesday. The new 20 franc note, which will be in circulation from May 17th, follows the release of the first in the series, the 50 franc note, last year.
Overall, the National Bank’s new series of banknotes is intended to reflect “the many facets of Switzerland”. The design of each note centers around a primary theme. On the 20-franc note, this will be light. A hand, the earth and butterflies are the main motifs on the note.

The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) reported Tuesday that 3.3 percent of Switzerland’s working population was jobless in April, down from 3.4 percent in March 2017.
According to latest figures, 5,953 fewer people were unemployed last month, with 146,327 men and women classified as such by local authorities in the period under review.