Day: 4 November 2024

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Is Switzerland about to experience deflation?

Deflated tyre

Switzerland may be at risk of entering deflationary territory in 2025 due to the strengthening of the Swiss franc, which is challenging policymakers’ control over price growth.

The Swiss National Bank has lowered interest rates three times this year as of September, attributing the country’s declining inflation rate to the robustness of the safe-haven currency, as well as to falling oil and electricity prices.

Analysts increasingly believe that the Swiss National Bank may need to engage in foreign currency intervention to avert a deflationary scenario.

Furthermore, the central bank has adjusted its forecasts downward, setting the average annual inflation rate for 2024 at 1.2%, down from 1.3%, and anticipating a price growth of 0.6% in 2025, a decrease from the previously forecasted 1.1%.

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Nvidia promoted to Dow Jones Industrial Average at the expense of Intel

AI power

Nvidia is set to replace its rival chipmaker Intel in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, signifying a significant change in the blue-chip index that highlights the surge in artificial intelligence and a substantial shift within the semiconductor industry.

Intel’s shares fell by 1% in extended trading on Friday 1st November 2024, while Nvidia’s shares increased by 1%. Intel has now lost over half its value.

The update will take place on 8th November 2024. Also, Sherwin Williams will replace Dow Inc. in the index, the S&P and Dow Jones said in a statement.

Nvidia‘s shares have surged over 170% in 2024, following a roughly 240% increase last year, as investors flock to the AI chipmaker. Nvidia’s market capitalisation has expanded to $3.3 trillion, ranking it second only to Apple among publicly traded companies.

Nvidia one-year share price chart

Nvidia one-year share price chart

Major companies such as Microsoft, Meta, Google, and Amazon are acquiring Nvidia’s graphics processing units (GPUs), like the H100, in large quantities to create computer clusters for AI projects. Nvidia’s revenue has more than doubled for five consecutive quarters, with at least a threefold increase in three of those quarters. The company has indicated that the demand for its forthcoming AI GPU, Blackwell, is ‘insane’.

With Nvidia‘s inclusion, four of the six tech companies valued at over a trillion dollars are now part of the index, leaving Alphabet and Meta as the two not listed in the Dow.