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🏠 Mortgages in Switzerland: fixed or variable? And why do most sellers lose money on their property? From market opacity to hidden traps, Swiss real estate can be a minefield. In a high-stakes environment where 8 out of 10 homeowners sell for less than their property's true value, how do you avoid the common mistakes?

🔍 In this episode of UNLOCKED, Patrice Choffat, founder of Bestag.ch, lifts the veil on the Swiss housing market. Discover how to navigate mortgages, rate choices, and deal with a system that often works against transparency, and what it all says about the state of...

Tech megadeals, AI hype and market nerves — this week had it all! Nvidia and AMD’s blockbuster partnership lit up the sector, xAI reportedly raised $20 billion with Nvidia among its backers and SoftBank moved to expand its AI footprint with ABB and OpenAI. Dell admitted it underestimated AI demand, Jamie Dimon’s optimism fueled the rally, meanwhile the debate over whether this is a new “AI bubble” kept heating up. In earnings, PepsiCo and Delta kicked off earnings season on an upbeat note, and markets brace for more reports to test lofty valuations. With the Fed balancing inflation risks, a...

Tech stocks continue to lead major US and Japanese indices toward fresh ATHs anud Elon Musk's xAI securing a significant $20 billion funding round, and buying ABB's robotics division. Companies like Dell are also revising growth forecasts upward, attributing this optimism to the unexpected strength of the AI market, meanwhile JPMorgan's CEO, Jamie Dimon, echoes this sentiment, highlighting the overwhelming demand for AI technologies and their own massive AI investments where costs are immediately countered by productivity gains.
In commodities, gold surges past $4,000 per ounce, driven by political, geopolitical tensions and a weakened appetite for traditional currencies. Though strongly...

Investors took a breather as Oracle’s surprisingly thin profit margins cooled the post–OpenAI and AMD euphoria. The company made roughly $900 million in revenue by renting servers powered by Nvidia chips, but only $125 million in gross profit — a reminder that the AI infrastructure boom is capital-intensive and still finding its footing. Yet optimism remains strong: McKinsey projects global data-center capacity to triple by 2030, fueled by AI demand. Meanwhile, Nvidia eyes an investment in Elon Musk’s xAI, reigniting tech enthusiasm. On the energy side, Shell hit a one-year high on strong Q3 results, while renewable forecasts dimmed under...

OpenAI has signed a blockbuster deal with AMD to deploy 6 gigawatts of GPUs over multiple years, sending AMD shares soaring and highlighting the explosive growth in AI demand. Nvidia takes a small hit, underscoring the competitive dynamics in the AI chip market and the massive investment flowing into scaling AI infrastructure. Meanwhile, global political shocks are adding volatility: France’s new PM resigned after just 14 hours in office, Japan’s Takaichi faces rising inflation and record debt while willing to push for a pro-growth agenda, while the UK – who did the same and failed - braces for another ugly...

Japan kicks off the week with a bang as the ruling LDP picks Sanae Takaichi, sending the Nikkei to record highs while the yen slides and Japanese bond yields surge on expectations of easier fiscal and monetary policy. Meanwhile, the US government shutdown drags on, delaying key data such as the nonfarm payrolls report, keeping markets guessing about the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) next move. Oil prices rebound after OPEC’s output hike, while gold and Bitcoin extend their rallies as investors seek shelter from political and policy uncertainty. With the earnings season about to start and AI stocks still driving sentiment,...

Investors swung between US political drama and AI hype. Trump’s threat to fire federal employees amid a potential prolonged government shutdown sent jitters through markets, yet the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit fresh all-time highs. OpenAI’s secondary share sale, valuing the company at ~$500bn, fueled excitement across tech, boosting Nvidia, SK Hynix, Samsung.
Markets are grappling with high valuations and FOMO, while bets on multiple Federal Reserve (Fed) rate cuts linger. Weak private jobs data added to dovish sentiment, but official reports remain delayed due to the shutdown – and that’s a worry for the Fed visibility. In FX, EURUSD...

Gloom never looked so good for markets! While the US government remains shut, investors are cheering weak jobs data and dovish Fed expectations. ADP numbers showed a surprising loss of 32,000 jobs in September, signaling a cooling labor market — yet equities hit fresh highs. Big Tech continues to lead the charge, fueled by AI excitement and new product launches.
Asian tech follows the rally, with Alibaba jumping after analysts raised price targets — a 50% discount from 2021 makes it tempting despite short-term overbought signals. Meanwhile, the dollar is under pressure, EURUSD eyes 1.18–1.20, and sterling braces for the...

The US government has officially shut down after lawmakers failed to agree on funding — and markets are already reacting. The dollar is under pressure, treasury yields are edging lower and safe haven assets including the yen, the Swiss franc and gold are in demand.
But how much do shutdowns really matter for markets? History shows the S&P 500 often shrugs them off — sometimes even gaining during the deadlock. Still, delayed economic data could complicate the picture, especially with US jobs figures in focus this week.
Meanwhile, ADP is set to release its private payrolls report, offering a crucial...

Markets kicked off the week with cautious gains, brushing aside Donald Trump’s renewed tariff threats and looming US government shutdown risks. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq hover just below record highs, while Treasury yields slip as investors seek safety. But the real worry among investors is that a shutdown could delay critical US data releases, muddying the Fed’s policy outlook and tempting traders to take profits.
Meanwhile in Asia, Chinese stocks rally on upbeat PMI data and Beijing’s $70bn growth push, with foreign investors tiptoeing back into tech giants like Alibaba. Gold surged to record highs as investors chase safe-havens,...