Attractive yield opportunities with cash alternatives

People in Switzerland hold almost one third of their assets as cash in accounts. Yet more and more banks are reporting negative interest rates. As a result, 30 percent of these assets will gradually shrink. Are there still any financial investments that avoid loss of asset value? Here we show a few suitable alternatives to cash accounts.

Swiss interest rates have moved in only one direction over the past decade: downwards. There seems to be no end in sight for this period of low interest rates. Investors who keep their cash in bank accounts must be prepared for dwindling assets. Or maybe not.

Bond funds and structured products enable investors to participate in a range of markets and to hedge against certain risks. Their form depends on the particular investor’s risk tolerance and the level of potential yield.

 

Bond funds with short durations

Bonds with a short term to maturity may ensure that assets grow steadily. Nevertheless, investors have to take on greater risk than with cash accounts. Our investment-grade bonds are mainly held by institutional investors; as a result, they tend to have higher liquidity and lower volatility than lower-rated bonds.