Mercedes Ruehl
@mjruehl.bsky.social
Switzerland and Austria correspondent for @financialtimes.com based in Zurich, via Singapore and Hong Kong. ft.com/mercedes-ruehl Get in touch: Mercedes.Ruehl@FT.com
💥 The EU should use “momentum” around Ukraine peace talks & push ahead with attempts to talk to Putin, Austria’s chancellor told FT Stocker “supports very much” nascent talks & urges other EU leaders to endorse them. “Wars end not with weapons, but with successful diplomacy" w @mjruehl.bsky.social
Europe should speak to Putin, says Austrian chancellor
Christian Stocker tells FT that there is ‘momentum’ around Ukraine peace talks
as.ft.com
We’re not saying we change from one horse to the other, but [if] one horse is not fast enough . . . let’s try [to] find a second horse” Switzerland weighs Franco-Italian air defence system in response to 5-year delay on US Patriot deliveries @mjruehl.bsky.social as.ft.com/r/ffb7cb56-9...
Switzerland weighs Franco-Italian alternative to US air defences
SAMP-T emerges as strong option for Bern as Raytheon’s Patriot system deliveries delayed for at least 5 years
as.ft.com
Tear gas and fist fights overshadow Swatch and Audemars Piguet’s ‘Royal Pop’ launch as.ft.com/r/442c9180-2...
Tear gas and fist fights overshadow Swatch and Audemars Piguet’s ‘Royal Pop’ launch
Debut of much-anticipated watch collaboration descends into chaos as customers scuffle in cities from Paris to New York
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The billionaire Hayek family that controls The Swatch Group thwarted a fresh attempt by US activist investor Steven Wood to win a seat on its board, despite strong backing for his candidacy from minority shareholders. as.ft.com/r/a04001b8-a...
Hayek family defeats activist investor’s latest push to join Swatch board
Watchmaker’s controlling shareholders use dominant voting stake to block Steven Wood’s fresh bid to win seat
as.ft.com
‘I’m fighting two wars. One against the Russians. And one inside myself.’ Ukraine is reshaping warfare through its use of drones. Yet human operators remain at the controls. For @ftweekend.com, I profiled one Ukrainian FPV drone pilot to examine the personal costs. www.ft.com/content/95f5...
Swatch and its approach to critics is fascinating. Great @mjruehl.bsky.social column here on some investors are questioning its governance www.ft.com/content/bea6...
Swatch’s governance under watch by investors
Fresh push by shareholder activist raises debate over board
ft.com
The entrepreneur behind the Micro scooter craze that took the world by storm is taking on the Swiss government over climate benefits that exclude his latest venture — the Microlino electric “bubble car”. as.ft.com/r/c64dfeee-6...
Swiss bubble-car maker cries foul over incentives limited to large EVs
Micro scooter founder pushes for court case over emissions regime he says disadvantages his Microlino two-seaters
as.ft.com
Switzerland’s “marriage penalty”: Why being married can cost you thousands more in taxes as.ft.com/r/bba7a64c-5... The price of marriage in Switzerland
The price of marriage in Switzerland
Social conservatism in this otherwise egalitarian country extends to tax penalties for couples who both work
as.ft.com
Breaking news: Another very rich and once powerful man discovered that he can't bully the FT
Crispin Odey abandons £79mn libel case against the FT over sexual misconduct claims
The FT had said 15 women were willing to testify in court against former hedge fund boss
ft.com
Here is the big read by @mjruehl.bsky.social from @financialtimes.com! Highly recommended! And heartfelt thanks for the very productive collaboration. Deeply impressed by @data.ft.com data visualization team as well www.ft.com/content/d9c3...
Switzerland’s referendum habit: an early warning to Europe?
As the country considers capping its population, the drawbacks of direct democracy are up for debate
ft.com
as.ft.com/r/37f77fb1-0... Palantir sues magazine that revealed Switzerland rejected its approaches With @rafeuddin.ft.com
Palantir sues magazine that revealed Switzerland rejected its approaches
[FREE TO READ] Peter Thiel-chaired data intelligence group alleges that Republik did not give it sufficient right to reply
as.ft.com
Christine Lagarde’s long-whispered move from the ECB to run the WEF is no longer a “foregone conclusion”, sources tell @financialtimes.com, as Trump’s Maga-fication of Davos scramble its succession plans. With the magnificent @mjruehl.bsky.social & @olafstorbeck.ft.com as.ft.com/r/780b0964-2...
Christine Lagarde’s move to run World Economic Forum not a ‘foregone conclusion’
[FREE TO READ] Upheaval at Davos changed calculus on finding permanent chair, according to people familiar with discussions
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One of the more unusual referendums I’ve reported on so far in Switzerland : citizens in June will vote on on putting a hard cap of 10mn on their population (it’s already at 9.1mn 😳) www.ft.com/content/6755... Switzerland to vote on plan to cap population at 10mn
Switzerland to vote on plan to cap population at 10mn
Country has 9.1mn permanent residents and experts fear the move will limit companies’ access to foreign talent
ft.com
From Switzerland, Partners Group built a $185bn business by serving individual investors. Bigger US rivals now have the market in their sights. Can it keep its edge? www.ft.com/content/7b9e...
How private equity’s pioneer in tapping retail money lost its edge
From Switzerland, Partners Group built a $185bn business by serving individual investors. Bigger US rivals have the market in their sights
ft.com
In today's paper: How the celestial calendar met high finance for the upcoming SpaceX IPO www.ft.com/content/0ee3...
SpaceX weighs June IPO timed to planetary alignment and Elon Musk’s birthday
Celestial calendar meets high finance, as billionaire’s personal impulses shape plans to raise $50bn in record listing
ft.com
Tricky times for the SNB as dollar slump and yen vol sends global capital to last "reliable" FX haven. By @mjruehl.bsky.social + me www.ft.com/content/4eb0...
How to get our kids to read books “…we risk something even starker than the further decline of a subject: losing generations of young readers and the curiosity, empathy and creativity that reading can inspire” as.ft.com/r/b25fc9b5-3...
How to get our kids to read books
[FREE TO READ] Young readers are switching off — it’s time to change the subject
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Nigel Farage attended Davos on a pass sponsored by the family office of Iranian billionaire Sasan Ghandehari, which told the WEF that the Reform UK leader had advised the company since 2018. W @ortenca.bsky.social and Anna Gross as.ft.com/r/9d784a9c-e...
Nigel Farage attended Davos as adviser to Iranian billionaire
[FREE TO READ] Reform UK leader’s pass and hotel costs for World Economic Forum event were paid for by Sasan Ghandehari
as.ft.com
Nigel Farage attended Davos on a pass sponsored by the family office of Iranian billionaire Sasan Ghandehari, which told the World Economic Forum that the Reform UK leader had advised the company since 2018. ft.trib.al/V138xDu
“Nobody is in any mood to stage a grand spectacle around an agreement with Trump right now” said one official, adding that Greenland & the Board of Peace had “eclipsed” Ukraine at Davos w super crew @christopherjm.ft.com @paolatamma.bsky.social @mjruehl.bsky.social as.ft.com/r/4c0e37ac-6...
Trump row over Greenland derails Ukraine postwar deal
[FREE TO READ] Signature of ‘prosperity plan’ expected at Davos has been postponed amid transatlantic rift
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On this week's ep of Behind the Money, the @financialtimes.com's @mjruehl.bsky.social joins me to talk #WEF2026 and Davos. Over the last year the WEF has faced a number of challenges & we talk through it all in this show. Listen here! 🎧: podfollow.com/behind-the-m...
Behind the Money with the Financial Times: Davos’ fight for relevance
Every January a collection of the world’s top business and political leaders head to the Swiss town of Davos for the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. The event is a week of panels and ...
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Today’s FT big read: Can Switzerland adapt to a harder global order ? There is a perception that the country’s bearings are shifting. Yet Switzerland enters this turbulent period with formidable economic strengths. as.ft.com/r/17d3bbe3-5... Is Switzerland losing its place in the world?
Is Switzerland losing its place in the world?
[FREE TO READ] After a year of tumult, some are warning that a system built on neutrality, consensus and direct democracy is not moving fast enough
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UBS shares have climbed to their highest level in more than 17 years, buoyed by growing investor optimism that Swiss lawmakers will reach a compromise on proposals to impose tougher capital rules on the bank. as.ft.com/r/4bcf8118-6...
UBS shares hit 17-year high on hopes of watered down capital reforms
[FREE TO READ] Investor optimism has been fuelled by a compromise proposed by Swiss political parties
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Swiss prosecutors have filed charges against Credit Suisse and its owner UBS over alleged organisational “deficiencies” linked to a roughly $7mn payment at the centre of the Mozambique $2bn “tuna bonds” scandal. on.ft.com/4osWdcP
Swiss prosecutors file charges against Credit Suisse and UBS
[FREE TO READ] Prosecutors alleged organisational ‘deficiencies’ relating to Mozambique ‘tuna bonds’ scandal
on.ft.com
UBS will appeal a Swiss court decision that found a writedown of nearly SFr16.5bn in Credit Suisse bonds lacked a sufficient legal basis. on.ft.com/4qDcYV6
UBS to appeal court decision on Credit Suisse bond wipeout
[FREE TO READ] Swiss bank says it has progressed in integrating Credit Suisse and achieved $10bn in cumulative cost savings
on.ft.com
on.ft.com/4g7GjSv Denials and defiance: Nestlé chief’s exit over relationship prompts investor unrest
Denials and defiance: Nestlé chief’s exit over relationship prompts investor unrest
[FREE TO READ] Shareholders turn on board over handling of CEO dismissal after chair Bulcke failed to heed earlier advice to fire Freixe
on.ft.com
Celebrating democracy in Switzerland with wurst and a show of hands on.ft.com/3JkWlfn Switzerland celebrates hands-on democracy (with sausages)
Switzerland celebrates hands-on democracy (with sausages)
It has survived centuries but even this voting tradition is not immune to populist forces
on.ft.com
I will develop a plan to bring disciplined newsletter governance, proper capital allocation, strategic foresight and operational excellence to Money Stuff. www.bloomberg.com/opinion/news...
UBS FX Trades Were Too Good
Also Sinovac, Daily Journal and an insurance correlation trade.
bloomberg.com
