• Swiss topple U.S. as most competitive Economy
    71 replies, posted
[quote]GENEVA (Reuters) – Switzerland knocked the United States off the position as the world's most competitive economy as the crash of the U.S. banking system left it more exposed to some long-standing weaknesses, a report said on Tuesday. The World Economic Forum's global competitiveness report 2009/2010 showed economies with a large focus on financial services such as the U.S., Britain or Iceland were the losers of the crisis. The U.S. as the world's largest economy lost last year's strong lead, slipping to number two for the first time since the introduction of the index in its current form in 2004. "We have been expecting for some time that it may lose its top-position. There are a number of imbalances that have been building up," said Jennifer Blanke, Head of the WEF's Global Competitiveness Network. "There are problems on the financial market that we were not aware of before. These countries (like the U.S. and Britain) are getting penalized now," she said. Trust in Swiss banks also declined. But in the assessment of banks' soundness, the Alpine country still ranked 44th. U.S. banks fell to 108 -- right behind Tanzania -- and British banks to 126 in the ranking, now topped by Canada's banks. The WEF bases its assessment on a range of factors, key for any country to prosper. The index includes economic data such as growth but also health data or the number of internet users. The study also factors in a survey among business leaders, assessing for example the government's efficiency or the flexibility of the labor market. The WEF applauded Switzerland for its capacity to innovate, sophisticated business culture, effective public services, excellent infrastructure and well-functioning goods markets. The Swiss economy dipped into recession last year, too and had to bail out its largest bank UBS. But its economy is holding up better than many peers and most banks are relatively unscathed by the crisis, which drove U.S. banks into bankruptcy. The WEF said the U.S. economy was still extremely productive but a number of escalating weaknesses were taking its toll. Concerns were growing about the government's ability to maintain distance to the private sector and doubts rose about the quality of firms' auditing and reporting standards, it said. BRAZIL LEAPS Leading emerging markets Brazil, India and China improved their competitiveness despite the crisis, the report showed. But Russia saw one of the steepest declines among the 133 countries assessed, falling back 12 places to 63, as worries about government efficiency and judicial independence rose, the WEF said. After years of rapid improvement, which took it to place 29, China now had to tackle shortcomings in areas such as financial markets, technological readiness and education as it could no longer rely on cheap labor alone to generate growth. India, ranked 49th, was in turn well positioned in complex fields such as innovation but had still to catch up on basics such as health or infrastructure, the WEF said. Brazil leapt by 8 ranks to 56th, as measures to improve fiscal sustainability and to liberalize and open the economy showed effects, the report said. Among the top-ten, Singapore moved up to third from fifth, swapping positions with Denmark, which fell behind fellow-Nordic country Sweden. Finland as 6th and Germany as 7th stayed put while Japan and Canada overtook the Netherlands. The WEF study named African countries Zimbabwe and Burundi as the world's least competitive economies. In the case of Zimbabwe, the WEF noted the complete absence of property rights, corruption, basic government inefficiency as well as macroeconomic instability as fundamental flaws. [/quote] The Swiss finally won at something, personally, I don't know what to believe in anymore. Source: [url]http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090908/bs_nm/us_competitiveness_report[/url]
[img]http://www.tell.ch/schweiz/pic/flagge_schweiz.gif[/img] Fuck yeah :v: [editline]05:10PM[/editline] Why is it that Switzerland does't come out of the news recently?
[QUOTE=rosthouse;17194761][img]http://www.tell.ch/schweiz/pic/flagge_schweiz.gif[/img] Fuck yeah :v: [editline]05:10PM[/editline] Why is it that Switzerland does't come out of the news recently?[/QUOTE] I ask you, what have the Swiss done recently that is worthy of International News?
Well, the libya affair is quite a big thing, then the stuff with the UBS, wich got through the whole gov of Switzerland. Then the stuff with the swiss soldiers who are not allowed to carry their guns loaded anymore. I'm sure there's more to come. [editline]05:22PM[/editline] I meant more news about/from Switzerland popping up here
[QUOTE=Canuhearme?;17194796]I ask you, what have the Swiss done recently that is worthy of International News?[/QUOTE] Being Switzerland!
People are getting excited over nothing, the only reason that this is happening is because of people depositing money into there economy. The banks are more stable there and so the economy is too.
Is Canada beating the states yet?
Where's your sauce?
Good, we need a shift in economic power.
[QUOTE=Wayword;17195321]Is Canada beating the states yet?[/QUOTE] Canada have always beaten everyone because Maple Syrup and Stargate are both awesome.
snip
The Swis are awesome. I wish I lived in Switzerland..
[QUOTE=Paravin;17196158]The Swis are awesome. I wish I lived in Switzerland..[/QUOTE] Switzerland is awesome, if you do move there, move to one of the French cantons.
shame about the horrific savoury food (their sweet food is farely okay)
[QUOTE=Canuhearme?;17194753]The Swiss finally won at something, personally, I don't know what to believe in anymore. Source: [url]http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090908/bs_nm/us_competitiveness_report[/url][/QUOTE] Well they're already beating us in Life Expectancy, Infant Mortality (they have less, not more), and Homicide rate (again, less, not more), amongst all sorts of other things. Shouldn't be surprising. [QUOTE=Wayword;17195321]Is Canada beating the states yet?[/QUOTE] If you count the things I listed above as "beating" us, then Canada is too.
[QUOTE=SigmaLambda;17196963]Well they're already beating us in Life Expectancy, [B]Infant Mortality[/B] (they have less, not more), and [B]Homicide rate[/B] (again, less, not more), amongst all sorts of other things. Shouldn't be surprising. If you count the things I listed above as "beating" us, then Canada is too.[/QUOTE] I'm sure someone will come in here and say: "But that's because they have less people!".
[QUOTE=Souris;17196550]Switzerland is awesome, if you do move there, move to one of the French cantons.[/QUOTE] No, move to Bern or Graubünden (Grisons)
[QUOTE=acds;17197189]I'm sure someone will come in here and say: "But that's because they have less people!".[/QUOTE] Well it is. Less population = less worries. It was one of the reasons why Rousseau's social contract idea worked so well in Switzerland, but not in other areas, which led to less homicide because the people get along there. Its a secluded country with a small population that doesn't get in fights. Since they don't have to spend so much money on defense and their government doesn't have to be incredibly large, they have more budget to spend on the overall health of the country.
Does this mean people will bitch about Sweden for being capitalist pigs instead of us?
[QUOTE=Lankist;17199160]Does this mean people will bitch about Sweden for being capitalist pigs instead of us?[/QUOTE] pssst, lankist swiss = switzerland
Yeah and New Zealand isn't part of Australia. They're the same place. [editline]04:32PM[/editline] One country looks like a penis and the other one doesn't. Big difference right there.
[QUOTE=Lankist;17199234]Yeah and New Zealand isn't part of Australia. They're the same place. [editline]04:32PM[/editline] One country looks like a penis and the other one doesn't. Big difference right there.[/QUOTE] Austria is part of australia what are you talking about
[QUOTE=Lankist;17199234]Yeah and New Zealand isn't part of Australia. They're the same place. [editline]04:32PM[/editline] One country looks like a penis and the other one doesn't. Big difference right there.[/QUOTE] just because the name is similar doesn't mean they're the same for example, there's a huge difference between Paraguay and Uruguay: the difference is that you really should go to the second one because it's name fits you perfectly
[QUOTE=SigmaLambda;17200004]just because the name is similar doesn't mean they're the same for example, there's a huge difference between Paraguay and Uruguay: the difference is that you really should go to the second one because it's name fits you perfectly[/QUOTE] Ur a guay.
[QUOTE=Lankist;17200018]Ur a guay.[/QUOTE] thats the joke
How are sweden and switzerland similar in name anyway? That isn't it at all, they're just the same fuckin place. Just like the Ukraine is the same as Russia only smaller and more timid.
and so begins the downfall of western civilization.
I wonder what this means for the global economical of globe. [url=www.facepunch.com]Anus Party[/url]
[QUOTE=SilverDwarf;17200034]and so begins the downfall of western civilization.[/QUOTE] I'm pretty sure Switzerland is in the west.
[QUOTE=Lankist;17200033]How are sweden and switzerland similar in name anyway? That isn't it at all, they're just the same fuckin place. Just like the Ukraine is the same as Russia only smaller and more timid.[/QUOTE] i actually remember each eastern european country based on it's proximity to Ukraine because Ukraine produced Gogol Bordello and STALKER and so my mind automatically absorbs any Ukraine-related information
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