User guide for e-Banking

Copper: world economy expansion

In the decision of whether to invest in gold or in copper, there are two very different underlying views of the future of the world economy. Read More

Dots, points that plot our destiny

Despite Janet Yellen, the chair of the US Federal Reserve, is the most influential component in said organisation, we should never forget that she is not alone and there are other members whose vote, and often whose opinion, are equally important. Read More

The expected trend in benchmark rates

At the end of 2015, the US Federal Reserve began official rate hikes at a much slower pace than on other occasions and with no apparent reasons for doing so, because neither inflation nor economic growth had passed thresholds for concern. Read More

BBVA results in Q2 2017

Between January and June 2017, BBVA Group posted a net attributable profit of €2.31 billion, up 25.9% from the same period a year earlier (+30.8% in constant terms). The solid performance of recurring revenues, moderation in operating expenses and a drop in impairment losses on financial assets are the main… Read More

BBVA Open Talent: Creating opportunities and transforming the banking industry

At BBVA we have upped the pace in order to build the advances in digital technology, necessary to enable our clients to take the best financial decisions ever, into our business model. We are creating opportunities and offering solutions through innovative products and services that are disruptive on the financial market. Read More

The greatest challenge on the Swiss watch industry

The traditional Swiss watch is a synonym of quality, elegance and luxury, features that have made it a benchmark in the sector. Such is the case that its watches account for 57% of the world market and represent a large source of income for the sound Swiss economy. The sector is, however, far from at its best and the arrival of smartwatches on the scene has been a disruptive force that is putting the industry’s capacity and adaptation severely to the test. Read More

Latin American Entrepreneurs in Switzerland (I)

The cosmetics industry and the perfume segment in particular are especially competitive sectors. Two Swiss firms, Givaudan and Firmenich, account for between 30% and 40% of the global market, making them the world’s main fragrance and flavour creators. Read More

Classic Cars, An Exquisite Investment (I)

At some time in our lives, we have most certainly stopped in the street to take a serious look at a car that for some reason has caught our eye. It is often a colour, a design or simply the person driving it, which whisks us off to that imaginary world where we dream we are driving that same car or we at least have one parked in our garage. Read More

Swiss Vineyards, white gold amid the mountains

When people think of Switzerland, its best known features are its chocolate, skiing, private banking and watches. What is not quite so usual, however, is to associate it with wine production. Read More

Wages and salaries, consumption’s indicators

Bearing in mind that consumer confidence in the USA has shot up over recent years (to even stand above the levels prior to the start of the 2008 crisis), it gives every indication that worker remuneration in the world’s biggest economy is going to start rising strongly over the coming quarters. Read More

The effects of monetary policy on the Eurozone

The appearance of European Central Bank President Mario Draghi on Thursday 20 July last, when he was expected to give details of a possible turnaround in the central bank’s current monetary policy, eventually had little repercussion. Read More

The euro pressure against dollar

The latest remarks by ECB president Mario Draghi do nothing but confirm that Europe’s highest monetary institution is in no hurry to raise interest rates from their current –0.4%. On the other side of the Atlantic, alternatively, the discourse from the US Federal Reserve is indicating at least one further rate hike in 2017, thus accumulating four increases in 18 months. Such an outstanding difference makes the dollar more attractive than the euro in the medium term. Read More

Investing in summer: A threat or an opportunity?

One of the frequent sayings on the stock markets is sell in May and go away, in allusion to the volatility on the equity markets in the summer period, a situation that begs us to ask if, in this period, the markets could undergo some kind of turbulence or volatility. Read More

Inflation and oil, the thin black line

After the crisis that broke out in the USA in 2008, central banks acquired an even more prominent role than they already had to keep their battered economies afloat. With interest rates at all-time lows, the major economies had to resort to non-conventional measures and put debt-purchasing programmes under way, those known as QE (Quantitative Easing). Read More

The US stock markets break their all-time high records

In July, the S&P 500, which represents the capitalisation of the largest US corporations, reached all-time highs in North American stock markets, accumulating important yields in recent years. Read More

Sustainable foods II: Community gardens

Sensitivity to ecology issues, raised awareness concerning the protection of the natural heritage we share and the search for and return to balanced and sustainable ways of life are features increasingly more widespread in western society. In the world’s major cities, from London to Vancouver, there are mainly private initiatives to incorporate cohabitation areas based on the idea of community gardens or allotments. Read More

Next Generation: Training of the leader generation

Succession and training of future leaders are, at present, two of the main concerns in family companies and businesses. Their effective education and training and succession management have a direct impact on the success of the transition from one generation to the next. And how do you efficiently educate your company’s future leader? Once that person has been identified, education is the next step to create a trained professional qualified to tackle the challenges he/she will have to face in today’s dynamic world. Read More

Art Basel II – BBVA’s customer experience with art

Switzerland once again becomes the “world art centre” during the Art Basel fair. To enjoy this 48th edition, BBVA brought together a select group of clients who were able to admire works by more consolidated artists, and discover works from new, upcoming artists, over the days prior to the official opening, devoted exclusively to VIP guests and collectors. Read More

Switzerland heads the ranking of the most innovative countries

Switzerland heads the ranking of the most innovative countries. This is what stems from the World Innovation Index, published jointly by Cornell University (USA) and the World Intellectual Property Organization. Read More

What are the keystones of gold prices?

Gold prices depend largely on the trend in real interest rates in the USA, i.e. nominal rates minus inflation. The graph compares gold (blue) with the real 5-year interest rate in the USA (orange, on an inverted scale). The lower the real interest rate, the higher the price of gold. Read More

Data: Cornerstone of our digital present

Because when we talk about the present, we refer to the immediate future, to what is already happening, to what is inevitable and to what undoubtedly will decide the fate of any business that wants to tackle a customer-oriented digital transformation. Read More

Brexit’s uncertain future

The latest elections held in the United Kingdom on 8 June last have revealed a scenario of political uncertainty in the country, aggravated by recent outbreaks of social unrest suffered in Manchester and London, which have weakened Britain’s interests in its political aspirations vis-à-vis the negotiation of the future of the Brexit with the European Union. Read More

How does the monetary politics affect our portfolios?

Draghi’s statements at the end of June indicating that reflationary forces (higher nominal growth and inflation) were replacing the deflationary fears of previous quarters, had a swift impact on the financial markets, producing sharp increases in long-term interest rates and a subsequent fall in bond prices across almost all the geographic regions. Read More

What is BBVA doing in a recording studio?

What is BBVA doing in a recording studio?

The power of diversification

On 6 June last, the Spanish entity Banco Popular was sold for one euro. The increasing withdrawals of deposits had created an unbridgeable liquidity gap. The European authorities gave the go ahead to the sale of Banco Popular, which marked the disappearance of the entity with the highest efficiency ratio in Spain. Read More

The ISM, an indicator auguring an optimistic future

Despite the volatility and uncertainty reported worldwide in the first three months of the year, the major leading indicator, the US manufacturing index (ISM) is indicating that this country is going to undergo an improvement in its economy over the coming quarters. Read More

The best doctors in the world at your fingertips

A second expert medical opinion assures a more accurate diagnosis and suitable treatment. Read More

Forging sound relationships with Private Banking clients

The arrival of the new technologies is fostering demand from clients for more personalised experiences, more efficient wealth management and increased transparency. Starting from the question: Is the wealth management industry facing a Kodak moment?, the Swiss research and opinion forum “Redesigning Financial Services” founded by the University of San… Read More