Many people are worried that we are back at the Great Financial Crisis. While we are convinced that history does not repeat itself, it often rhymes. The risks that result out of central banks rising interest rates in light-speed are not new. We believe that the decision of the central banks to raise interest rates has been the right one but that they clearly underestimated the inflation and thus started too late. However, not only was it a misjudgment of inflation rates, it was also a misjudgment that the Modern Monetary Theory could work. That is something we and many others have warned from repeatedly. After more than a decade of ultra-low interest rates, many market participants have forgotten how to behave in an environment of rising interest rates.

On this podcast episode, the WHVP team sits down together to talk about the U.S. bank crisis and the merger between UBS and Credit Suisse. In addition, the podcast will cover the stability of the Swiss banking system and the differences between the U.S. and Swiss banking industries and systems, and what Americans can do to ensure they select the right banks to partner with. We hope you enjoy it!

On Friday, March 10, the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) collapsed after experiencing a classical bank run. Because of it, we are now confronted with a new collapse of the 16th biggest bank in the U.S... All of us need to understand how this has happened and learn about the banks we use. Further in this blog, we will explore the SVB collapse and the differences between banks in the U.S. and Switzerland. Finally, for individuals with personal wealth in banks, it will be informative about what Swiss banks can offer you amid uncertainty in the U.S. financial situation.

As we navigate through uncertain times, one phrase that has stood the test of time is "never fight the Fed". This adage is a reminder that the Federal Reserve holds significant power over the direction of the economy and the markets. Its decisions can have a ripple effect across industries, asset classes, and global markets. Understanding the Fed's role and its impact on the economy and markets is crucial for investors and traders alike. Nevertheless, it seems like in 2023 investors have completely thrown this saying out the window. Investors have been optimistic this year despite the Federal Reserve's decision to raise interest rates, believing that the rate-raising cycle may be over and we’re in for a soft-landing. The Nasdaq stock market is up nearly 15% this year, after posting its best January since 2001. While some believe that this is the beginning of a new bull market, we are of the opinion that this is just another bear market rally and that we will continue to experience ongoing market volatility for the time being.

January is the time to look ahead to the year. Sadly, way too much depends on the Federal Reserve and world central banks. Michael Howell writes: “It has been a bleak year for many investors. Global investors have lost $23tn of wealth…so far in 2022. …. That is equivalent to 22 percent of global gross domestic product” When bureaucrats create money out of thin air, they create a mess. Alasdair Macleod tells us: “Monetary policymakers face an acute dilemma: do they prioritize inflation of prices by raising interest rates, or do they lean towards yet more monetary stimulation to ensure that financial markets stabilize, their economies do not suffer a recession, and government finances are not driven into crisis? …. The inconvenient truth is that policies of monetary stimulation invariably end with the impoverishment of everyone.”

We hope you had a wonderful start to 2023! The beginning of a new year is always a great opportunity to look ahead and share our assessment of what to expect in the next twelve months. Before we do that, however, we would like to look back with a quick look at the most meaningful charts of 2022.

An impending recession, markets are continuing to fall, and the steady stream of news that companies are making job cuts. The news continues to look bleak, and with the recent stream of news, the economy and markets continue in the cycle of squeezing those participating in them. But there is hope for people looking to learn about what the job cuts can mean for the economy, investment market, and their portfolio, and steps they can take in protecting their wealth.

There has been a momentous meeting between China and the OPEC nations. Our blog will cover the happenings of the event and how they may affect Americans and their wealth. It will be important to learn about what to expect looking forward as you seek to protect the value of your hard-earned U.S. dollars.

Earlier this month the FED held its latest press meeting where another interest rate hike of 0.75% was announced. This was the fourth consecutive rate hike. During the press conference, a reporter asked about the expected positive reaction from the stock market to the announcement (it turned out after the conference the stock market has not reacted positively to the rate hike news at all) and Powell replied: “…We have a ways to go. And the last thing I'll say is that I would want people to understand our commitment to getting this done. And to not making the mistake of not doing enough or the mistake of withdrawing our strong policy and doing that too soon….”. This statement led most market participants to conclude that the FED is going to continue tightening for quite some more time. Consequently, while we do already asses the current situation as a technical recession, we do expect that in 2023 a formal U.S. recession will be announced and generally accepted.

With a recession looming over the U.S. economy and high market volatility, investors can be left scratching their heads on how to proceed with their investment activities. Moreover, once the recession does hit the U.S., more fear could seize the markets. Therefore, it is crucial to understand what can be done when planning to invest during a recession. The blog post will cover how U.S. Investors can act in times of economic turmoil and find the right partners to help them find the right opportunities and manage their emotions.

In this blog, we will describe the impact the metaverse may have on the financial world and asset managers. The metaverse is an exciting topic due to recent trends and developments in technology, pandemic restrictions, and the evolution of cryptocurrencies. In addition, working remotely and connecting with loved ones became difficult for many, but the metaverse proposed an interesting solution for these issues, even proposing an independent economy.

After inflation started to pick up last year due to supply chain issues, the war in Ukraine started threatening western stability even more. Long story short, we slid from one crisis into another, and then another. Investors, governments, and central banks seem to have erased the concept of economic cycles from their memory. They desperately try to dispute and fight an economic contraction, which is a normal, sometimes even healthy, short-term development. We are convinced that big economies such as the U.S. and the European Union (EU) are in a recession already despite them trying to change the definition in an effort to make the situation look less dire. Nonetheless, it is important to not let fear take over our decision-making abilities and long-term investment strategy. Times of crisis, no matter how painful they may be, also always offer opportunities.

In this webinar, you will learn how to utilize the Swiss economy, financial services, and registered investment advisors to bring stability to your existing or new investment portfolio. The presentation will cover the reasons for today's inflationary environment, how and why the Swiss economy differs from the United States, and how Americans can access the Swiss markets. In addition, it will be a chance to learn more about Switzerland's economic facts and figures and the relevant details that pertain to holding an offshore account in its jurisdiction.

This article explains basic information about cryptocurrencies, including what they are and how to use them. It is a look at the basics and can act as a diving-in point to learn more. The world is changing fast, and understanding the things that are emerging is key to being able to adapt to the changing world.

It is done… after a challenging first half of the year, the U.S. economy added an overwhelming 528,000 jobs in July and brought the unemployment rate down to 3.5%. Additionally, the consumer price index rose by “only” 8.5% instead of the expected 8.9%. Having this news in mind, one could think that the technical recession (two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth) in the U.S. is already resolved. However, on the other side, we are hearing that big companies like Amazon, Shopify, or Microsoft started sending blue letters to their employees and will probably continue to do so. These days, there is many different, mutually contradictory news out there. This can be frustrating when trying to make sense of the current global situation.

In this podcast episode, Jamie Vrijhof-Droese, Urs Vrijhof-Droese, and Jess Roberson sit down to discuss the differences between the U.S. and Switzerland when it comes to inflation, interest rates, and recession definitions. The team will start the podcast by discussing the recent celebration of Swiss National Day, the equivalent of Independence Day in the U.S. We hope you enjoy it.

Managing the markets has not been easy in the last two and a half years. Who would have thought that after a global lockdown markets would immediately start a new rally bringing them to all time highs? It was clear to us that this rally could not be sustainable. When the markets started to tumble this year, many financial advisors started shouting that now is the time to “buy the dip”. If you had followed their strategy, it would not have ended well so far.

Brush up on your investment terms and what this means for our economy, your investments and the possibility of a recession. A bear market refers to a period of time in which stock prices decline and the overall market outlook is pessimistic. Beyond the daily fluctuations of the market, a bear market is typically marked by a 20 percent or more fall in the market index over at least a two-month period. Bear markets throughout history have varied greatly in severity and length of time. For example, two of the longest bear markets experienced in America include the Stock Market Crash of 1929, which lasted 34 months, and the more recent 2007 financial crisis, in which the bear market lasted over 27 months.

This year, making the right investment decisions has been quite challenging. Markets are down double digits year-to-date. The game was therefore not about gaining the most but about losing less than everybody else. Investors are unsure about how to position their portfolios. While some say that this is the beginning of a bear market, others state that the current weakness in the markets is a buying opportunity. We believe that the current downward movement will not be reversed until there is a mutual effort to change something about the current situation. Accordingly, from our perspective counter-movements represent opportunities to get out at a better price instead of giving confidence that the markets go up further. However, there are always exceptions where it makes sense to stay invested or even take in new investments.

Test your own financial knowledge by reviewing these 5 must-know investment basics. Working with a trusted financial professional is important when it comes to strategizing and preparing to meet your financial goals. As most of us handle money on a daily basis, it’s important to have an in-depth understanding of the fundamentals of financial literacy, especially when it comes to investing. In our blog post we’ve identified five financial basics everyone should know. Understanding these important concepts can serve as a basis for your financial investment standings.