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The duties of parents are obvious: they must be perfect. This is not difficult either, everyone knows that parents are supernatural beings, loving, caring and selfless. They have inexhaustible patience and a thousand ideas how they can help their offspring to get out of boredom and out of trouble.

That is true! With one small reservation: Parents are not always like that. In every mother and father there is also an ordinary person with strengths and weaknesses, with quirks and moods. It is high time to free ourselves from exaggerated expectations of parents.

Parents can fail, as we all know, and on several levels on a daily basis. The blunders they make are as numerous as the sins of omission on their account. Bad grades, sibling rivalry, allergies, sloppiness – there are countless opportunities to develop a guilty conscience. And if one day it turns out that a child doesn't find his way in life without problems, everyone knows where to look for the blame: With the parents, of course! After all, they have taken care of the child for years – or not enough. No wonder many parents are under enormous pressure. Nevertheless, most people cling to an idealized image of parents. Why is that?

Women are still underrepresented in leadership positions. Targeted investments in companies committed to diversity could change that, say Audhild Aabø and Julie Bech of Nordea Asset Management. Moreover, they are also worthwhile from a financial perspective.

The issue of gender diversity stirs the emotions. Measures to reduce gender inequality are discussed, but only hesitantly implemented in practice. This is evident in most companies: The higher the hierarchical level, the fewer women are found. According to the latest edition of the schillingreport, in 2019 the proportion of women on the management boards of the 100 largest Swiss companies was 10%, while the figure for SMI groups was 12%. And this despite the fact that women often form the majority of students at universities. "So a lot of talent is being lost on the career ladder", notes Audhild Aabø, co-manager of the Nordea Global Gender Diversity Strategy. Therefore, it does not accept the argument of many companies that they cannot find suitable qualified female candidates. After all, he said, there are still hidden prejudices that put obstacles in the way of women, not only in the recruitment process but also in everyday working life.

Competitive advantage through diversity

This is not only a problem for women, but also represents a missed opportunity for companies: "The main argument for diversity in companies is the correlation between gender diversity on the one hand and company success on the other, according to Aabø. Studies would have shown that diversity is a critical factor in not only attracting but also retaining the greatest talent in the labor market and not losing it to competitors. In addition, the different perspectives help to be more innovative. Last but not least, the decision-making processes are more efficient thanks to improved cooperation. "All this gives companies that value diversity a competitive advantage", says Aabø.

The development of the economy in the second quarter depends heavily on the war in Ukraine and rising inflation rates. Nordea Asset Management's Sébastien Galy analyzes the impact on the eurozone and U.S. economies and sees ample opportunities in fixed income in both regions.

Russia has its back to the wall after the invasion of Ukraine. The country is facing heavy sanctions and receives only very limited support from China for the time being. If imports to Russia become more expensive and less so over time, it is only a matter of time before the Russian population becomes increasingly dissatisfied, says Sebastien Galy, senior macro strategist at Nordea Asset Management. That will force the government to find a new narrative, he said.

Against this background, the financial market is hoping for the best, namely the start of serious negotiations. "Essentially, the market believes Russia will cave and find a compromise in Ukraine. The longer Russia waits, the greater the impact of sanctions and the higher interest rates will rise. This suggests that the market is probably right to be cautiously optimistic", Galy explains. In fact, Russia wants to focus on the "exemption." focus on the Donbass region. But whether the Kremlin will accept Ukraine's claim to neutrality remains unclear.

Schroders' latest Global Investor Study shows that investors are very optimistic about future equity market returns despite the ongoing pandemic-related turmoil. Is this feeling deceptive?

Savers are more optimistic than at any time in the past five years, according to the Schroders Global Investor Study 2021, and expect their future investment returns to average more than 11% per year. They are more inclined to invest further and review their investments more frequently – but most importantly, they expect higher future returns.

This recent forecast – showing what savers expect to see in each year through 2026 – is the most optimistic estimate since the annual survey began in 2016.

Switzerland's pension system has been based for decades on the three-pillar principle. But the foundation of this system is crumbling: At a time when state reforms for old-age provision are meager, private provision must be addressed. How not to be left with empty pockets at an advanced age.

Private retirement planning is on the minds of many Swiss people. Individual saving is becoming more and more important, because the Swiss pension system has problems to finance itself. How to ensure that capital is also secured in old age?

Time-tested but in need of renovation

Swiss politicians have been struggling for years to reform the pension system. The state pension insurance AHV wrote losses of over 2 billion francs in 2018. Partial successes give a boost again, even if only temporarily. In 2019, for example, the Swiss electorate adopted the AHV tax bill. However, this temporary stabilization does not solve the main problem of the AHV: The number of pensioners is increasing at an ever faster rate compared to the working generation. Thus, the AHV spends more money on pensions than it can collect in contributions from working people. That's why experts see black for the financing of the AHV and forecast negative figures for 2023 already again.

The legendary Johan Cruyff, one of the most successful footballers of the last century, used extremely convincing strategies and techniques in sports. Learn here from Ben Ritchie, Head of European Equities, Aberdeen Standard Investments, what this has to do with good investments.

"Playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the most difficult thing ever", Johan Cruyff once said. The counterpart to this from the world of finance comes from one of the most successful investors of all time, Warren Buffett: "Investing is simple, but not easy."

Although it may not be obvious at first glance, the "Wise Man of Omaha" has a lot of experience and "El Salvador (the Redeemer), as his fans called him, according to Ben Ritchie have much in common – integrity, authenticity and a long list of achievements. Buffett's sayings will be familiar to many investors. Here, on the eve of the European soccer championship, is Johan Cruyff's strategies. After all, he enjoyed the reputation of a football god not only as an active player on the pitch. It was also to his credit that he made FC Barcelona one of the top addresses in European club football.

A loan is often necessary so that you can fulfill your dreams. But unfortunately, most people are looking for the cheapest loan possible. We'll show you what to look for when searching for a cheap loan! Many people take out a loan without knowing exactly what the consequences may be. So that you do not fall into the same trap, we show you here the most common mistakes when looking for a cheap loan!

Credit: The best tips for a favorable loan

Credit is a topic that concerns many people. Most of us will need a loan during our lifetime, whether it's for education, buying a house, or other large purchases. The amount of the monthly installments and the term of the loan are crucial for the financial burden. With the right tips, a cheap and fast loan is not far away.

The first and most important rule is: take out only as much credit as you actually need. Many people tend to apply for a loan that is significantly higher than the amount they actually need. However, this is not advisable, as you will have to pay more interest that way. Therefore, find out exactly about the cost of your purchase and calculate exactly how much money you actually need.

Life insurance is a necessary purchase that gives you and your family peace of mind. There are many different types of payments that can be tailored to your needs and lifestyle.

Life insurance not only provides financial protection in the event of death, but is also a savings product whose benefits are becoming increasingly comprehensive and customizable. It is therefore not surprising that it is the third most common insurance after motor and home insurance Insurance coverage in Spain. The average profile of a person taking out life insurance is a married man aged between 35 and 44, but it is never too late or too early to take out a policy.

1. Arrange a mortgage to buy a house

In Spain, six out of ten houses are bought with a mortgage. In this case, it is advisable to take out life insurance, since in the event of death or permanent disability of the person who took out the mortgage, the insurer will take over the payments to the bank and relieve your partner or relatives from economic responsibility could be difficult to continue with it. In fact, it is a pre-condition with most banks as a guarantee prior to signing the mortgage. Until recently, banks conditioned their mortgage loans with a "covenant", Take out some related products such as life insurance. However, with the European Parliament's approval of the Mortgage Credit Directive, banks have been legally prohibited from linking a mortgage to the purchase of insurance for several years now. All you have to do is have your insurance company add a clause to your policy that states your lending bank is registered as a mortgage beneficiary. This way you comply with the bank's request, but also save money. You could even save a difference of 700 Euros, as the products offered by the bank can be up to 300% more expensive.

Stefan Frischknecht of Schroders draws a comparison of Swiss equities with European equities. For 2021, he sees a number of advantages to a broad Swiss equity allocation or specific Swiss small- and mid-cap exposure.

Swiss stocks performed well in 2020, with defensive heavyweights Nestle, Novartis and Roche outperforming during the Covid-19-related correction. However, at the end of November 2020, these stocks did not stand out compared to the Swiss Performance Index (SPI) or MSCI Europe. In fact, the Swiss market as a whole has performed relatively well thanks to the many leading companies outside the 'blue chip' Swiss Market Index (SMI). The small- and mid-cap index, the SPI EXTRA Total Return (SPIEX), has come close to matching the performance of one of the strongest markets so far in 2020, the S&P 500 (SPX).

Positive towards the Swiss market

"Although, as many strategists predict, it is possible that the more cyclical European markets will catch up in 2021, we remain positive on the Swiss market for two reasons", says Stefan Frischknecht, Deputy. CEO of Schroders Switzerland and Head of Swiss Equities: "First, the three defensive equity heavyweights continue to offer upside to investors. These companies' businesses are performing well, and they offer attractive and growing dividends averaging more than 3 percent. Second, because the Swiss equity market has more to offer than this defensive trio. It is the companies we call 'little Nestles' that are characteristic of the Swiss universe. Investing in these Swiss market leaders, many of which are small- and mid-cap stocks, makes sense from both a return and risk perspective for both domestic and international investors."

To understand the nuanced macroeconomic dynamics of emerging markets, it is important to look beyond the meager numbers, according to David Rees of Schroders.

Recently, Schroders experts revised their forecasts for this year's global economic growth from 5.2% to 5.9%. However, this projection referred to industrialized countries and took into account only a slight upward correction of estimated production in emerging countries.

According to David Rees, Senior Emerging Markets Economist at Schroders, GDP growth in the emerging markets will approach the level of all other countries in the next 18 months, as has not been the case since the turn of the millennium.