Dividends Explained
Dividends are a core way Swiss companies return profit to shareholders, governed by the Swiss Code of Obligations and a structured payment process. The article outlines four dividend types—ordinary, extraordinary, interim, and optional—and explains the key dates of declaration, ex‑dividend, record, and payment. It highlights the typical price drop on the ex‑dividend day, using a CHF 10 ($11) stock with a CHF 0.50 ($0.55) payout as an example. Finally, it details the 35% withholding tax, reclaim options for residents, and the broader role of dividends in corporate governance and investor appeal.
Quantum Computers and Post-Quantum Security
Swiss financial infrastructure operator SIX is accelerating its shift to post‑quantum cryptography as quantum computers threaten current asymmetric encryption. The firm has launched a comprehensive crypto‑inventory, built crypto‑agility into its systems, and begun hybrid testing of NIST‑standardized PQC algorithms. By...
Challenges for CCPs
European central counterparty clearing houses (CCPs) are confronting five major challenges: tighter post‑crisis regulations such as EMIR, a fragmented yet consolidating market landscape, the pressure to achieve sufficient scale, heightened geopolitical uncertainty, and the emergence of new asset classes like...
Capital Increase on the Stock Exchange
The article explains how listed companies can repeatedly raise equity through capital increases after an IPO, distinguishing actual and nominal increases. It outlines why firms choose equity financing over debt, citing growth, M&A, balance‑sheet strength, and liquidity benefits. Various Swiss‑law...