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Swedish investment bank in freefall

Shares in Sweden's Carnegie investment bank shed more than half their value on Monday following news that the bank was under investigation by financial authorities and had received an emergency loan from the Riksbank.

Published: 27 October 2008 16:00 CET
Swedish investment bank in freefall

Shortly after 11:30am on Monday, Carnegie shares were trading at 10.90 kronor ($1.34), down 62 percent from an opening share price of 29.00 kronor.

The fall comes following a 34 percent drop in Carnegie shares on Friday.

The day began with an announcement that the Riksbank had offered Carnegie one billion kronor ($124 million) in special liquidity assistance.

Shortly thereafter, Carnegie also reported that it was under investigation by Finansinspektionen (the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority) for deficits in internal management following the company’s announcement last week that it lost 500 billion kronor in the third quarter.

The bank later issued a statement that Carnegie’s board had hired Goldman Sachs to “evaluate strategic alternatives for the company”.

The Riksbank loan is designed to help Carnegie overcome short-term liquidity problems, although both the Riksbank and Finansinspektionen deem the bank to be solvent.

“Conditions in the bank sector have recently made it difficult for Carnegie to finance its payments. The bank has suffered liquidity problems. Given the currently prevailing anxiety, the Riksbank has decided to grant liquidity assistance to Carnegie to reduce the risk of a serious disruption to the financial system,” said Riksbank governor Stefan Ingves in a statement.

As an investment bank, Carnegie does not have access to financing from the Riksbank through the repurchase agreements available to traditional savings banks.

As a result, the bank acquires much of its short-term financing on the interbank market, which itself is suffering from liquidity constraints.

“Like many other banks we have been granted short term financing from the Riksbank. Our core operation has shown strength and resilience and I am confident that our strategic decision to return to our core business of investment banking advisory and commission driven services will give us lower risk profile and better funding”, said Carnegie CEO Mikael Ericson in a statement.

The Riksbank loan is being offered against collateral and will be available until further notice.

The loan is granted by a clause in the Riksbank’s governing legislation which allows it to grant credit to banks on special terms for the purpose of supporting liquidity under exceptional circumstances.

Also on Monday, Carnegie reported that it received notice from Finansinspektionen that the agency plans to investigate the bank regarding possible deficits in internal management and control, related to Carnegie’s handling of large credit exposures.

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BANKS

Cashless Switzerland: What is Twint and how does it work?

If you live in Switzerland, you are likely no stranger to Twint and maybe even use it regularly to make and receive payments. But if you are not familiar with this app, this is what you should know.

Published: 3 November 2021 13:21 CET
Updated: 22 March 2024 11:46 CET
Twint app can be installed on a mobile phone.
“Twinting” money with a smartphone is easy and convenient. Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

In Switzerland, the word “Twint” is used both as a noun and a verb.

As a noun, it describes the mobile application which allows you to pay for various goods and services practically everywhere in the country.

As a verb, (“to twint”), it means to send someone money, or receive it, via the same app.

So what exactly is Twint?

Simply put, it is digital cash (not to be confused with bitcoin, which is digital currency) that was first introduced in Switzerland in 2014 and has become very popular since then.

Twint logo. Image by Twint.ch

People like it because it is an easy and quick way to make instantaneous payments, especially in situations when credit cards or physical cash can’t be used.

A big part of its convenience is that it can be used at cash registers, vending machines and parking meters, as well as in online shops — pretty much everywhere in Switzerland, even in places that don’t accept credit cards.

The only similar mode of payment would be your maestro debit card issued by your bank.

This video explains exactly how the process works.

Another advantage of Twint is that you can use it to send money to someone else’s mobile phone — as long as they also have Twint. And you can receive money the same way.

And there are no fees or charges for this service.

How does Twint work?

Anyone can use Twint, but you need a Swiss bank account or a credit card and, of course, a smartphone.

According to Twint website, you need a smartphone with either an iOS (from version 12.2 and upwards) or Android (from version 7 and upwards) operating system and Bluetooth capability (from version 4.0 and upwards).

“It is generally not possible for Twint to be used on Apple devices with an operating system older than “iOS 12.2” or on Android devices with an operating system older than “Android 7”. On Android devices without access to the Google Play Store (e.g. on certain HUAWEI models), the use of Twint app is also not possible”.

But If you have a compatible phone, installing Twint is easy.

Swiss banks offer their own version of the app, and you can download it directly from your bank’s website.

Then, when you use Twint to make a payment, the amount is debited directly from your bank account or credit card.

By the same token, if you receive payment from another Twint user, the money is automatically deposited in your account.

And you are not limited to just one Twint app.

If you have accounts is several banks, or have more than one credit card, you can install and use all of them.

READ MORE: How to open a bank account in Switzerland

Can Twint be used to make payments and receive money from abroad?

For the moment, Twint can be used solely in Switzerland and payments can be made only in Swiss francs – although this may change in future. 

“We are, however, working closely with providers in other countries to develop an international and multi-currency solution”, according to Twint website.

You can find more information about Twint here.

READ MORE: Which bank is best for Americans in Switzerland?

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