The slowdown in Chinese demand is weighing on the European car industry. At the same time, established manufacturers are having to fend off growing competition from China. The difficulties are reflected in the performance of European car stocks.

Thematic investment and regional diversification: ZKB launches four tracker certificates on equity indices.

Global dividend payments are expected to reach a record high in 2024. Contributing to this growth are Alphabet and Meta Platforms, which paid dividends in the second quarter for the first time in their history. The ZKB Tracker Certificate on a global dividend basket offers investors easy access to the investment theme. 

As investors have been rotating out of technology stocks in recent weeks, previously neglected sectors have caught up. Among the winners are consumer staples stocks.

Since October 2023, Sandoz is trading independently of its former parent company Novartis on the Swiss stock exchange. A year earlier, ABB spun off its turbocharger division Accelleron. Both spin-offs have become stock market darlings. Alcon's start as an independent company has been a little more difficult, but it is showing signs of a turnaround this year.

Swiss real estate funds have experienced turbulent times over the past two years. However, the market environment has recently improved, and the asset class has stabilised, creating opportunities for investors. 

Demand for dairy alternatives has risen sharply in recent years. However, Swedish oat milk producer Oatly, which made a brilliant stock market debut in 2021, has so far been unable to capitalise on this. Meanwhile, traditional dairy companies such as Danone and Emmi are trying to position themselves in the market for plant-based milk alternatives.

The Swiss consumer goods giant appoints a new CEO to get the company back on track. Stock market reaction has been muted so far.

Individuals and businesses tend to avoid risk. For example, we can take out a property insurance to limit the damage in the event of a fire. Today, insurers are increasingly relying on their data pool to make the claims process more efficient. But the industry also faces challenges in dealing with new threats.

Cyber attacks and IT failures regularly hit the headlines. The most recent was over the summer, when an update from cybersecurity company Crowdstrike caused global outages and exposed the vulnerability of modern technology. The US company's shares have yet to recover.