Category Archive: 3) Swiss Markets and News

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‘Today liberal-progressive Switzerland triumphed over conservative Switzerland’

2026-03-08

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2026-03-08

Four very different vote proposals – and above all the SBC licence fee initiative: what lessons can be drawn from the results? Political scientist and pollster Martina Mousson from gfs.bern explains what was remarkable about Sunday's votes. Swissinfo: Did anything surprise you today? Martina Mousson: The most exciting thing at the beginning was how the …

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March 8, 2026 vote: the result from across Switzerland

2026-03-08

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2026-03-08

Citizens are voting on a referendum, three popular initiatives and a counterproposal. Swiss voted on taxing spouses, media licence fee, cash availability and new climate fund. Our coverage of the vote: Join the debate: Subscribe to our special newsletter to get all the latest information you need on Swiss popular votes:

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World’s first e-skis: genius or joke?

2026-03-07

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2026-03-07

It might sound like an April Fool’s gag, but a Swiss company is very serious about its e-skis – the world’s first battery-powered skis. However, initial reactions suggest it will be an uphill battle winning over purists. “The idea came about during Covid, when the ski lifts were closed,” software and technology entrepreneur Nicola Colombo …

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Opinions divided on taxing tips

2026-03-06

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2026-03-06

The Centre Party wants to exempt tips from taxes and social security contributions altogether. The hospitality industry supports the move but the Swiss government does not. Under current rules, voluntary tips are generally exempt from tax and contributions. However, if a tip forms an integral part of an employee’s salary, it is treated as income …

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SWISS turnover and profit hits turbulence

2026-03-06

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2026-03-06

After record sales in 2024, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) saw numbers fall again last year. Turnover dropped by 2.6% to CHF5.5 billion ($7 billion), the airline said on Friday. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Operating profit plummeted by 26.6% to CHF502.2 million. "High competitive pressure, volatile demand and rising …

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Middle East conflict: ‘Everyone has a responsibility to inform themselves before travelling’

2026-03-05

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2026-03-05

Faced with the nearly 5,000 Swiss citizens stranded in the Middle East, the foreign ministry maintains that government assistance will be provided only as a last resort. Interviewed by Swiss public broadcaster RTS, the head of the foreign ministry's consular directorate, Marianne Jenni, defends this firm stance, noting that the risk of escalation had been …

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The Swiss chalet kit: a little-known success story of the Industrial Age

2026-03-05

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2026-03-05

Between 1850 and 1920, the Swiss chalet enjoyed its golden age, embraced first by aristocrats and later by the bourgeoisie. Thanks to the Industrial Revolution, kit‑built chalets were exported worldwide. Historian Pauline Nerfin revisits this little‑known story in her University of Geneva thesis. The chalet craze dates back to the 18th century, when the Lake …

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What can the thousands of Swiss citizens stranded in the Middle East do?

2026-03-05

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2026-03-05

Following the bombings of Iran and the Islamic Republic's retaliatory strikes, thousands of Swiss travelers are stranded in major Gulf cities without the prospect of returning home soon. How should they handle the situation and what can travellers do if they have travel plans in the coming days? Since the Israeli-American attack on Iran last …

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Swiss parliament backs faster approval of pesticides

2026-03-05

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2026-03-05

New plant protection products must be approved more quickly. Following in the footsteps of the House of Representatives, the Swiss Senate approved a parliamentary proposal on Thursday by 31 votes to 12, calling for pesticides approved in Europe to be approved in Switzerland too. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox …

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The Swiss franc is brimming with strength, but how serious is the problem?

2026-03-05

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2026-03-05

The strong Swiss franc is causing growing concern in economic circles. Is it time for the Swiss National Bank to step in? And just how serious is the problem? Swissinfo takes a closer look. Is the strength of the Swiss franc historic? In nominal terms, the franc is currently trading near historic highs. It has … Continue...

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Trump’s ‘risky gamble’ in Iran, $2,000 cheques for all (or no one), and an AI ‘clash of egos’

2026-03-04

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2026-03-04

Welcome to our press review of events in the United States. Every Wednesday I look at how the Swiss media have reported and reacted to three major stories in the US – in politics, finance and science. This week media – old and new – were filled with images of explosions in the Middle East … Continue reading...

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Swiss lawmakers save funding for Red Cross museum in Geneva

2026-03-04

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2026-03-04

Swiss government funding for Geneva's International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum was narrowly saved by the House of Representatives on Wednesday. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Swiss lawmakers in Bern supported a proposal by Laurence Fehlmann Rielle of the left-wing Social Democratic Party: 93 votes to 92, with …

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Swiss court clears UBS in Bulgaria case

2026-03-04

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2026-03-04

The Federal Criminal Court on Wednesday acquitted UBS in the Bulgarian funds case, which dates back to the Credit Suisse era. For the judges in Bellinzona, the bank was not guilty of aggravated money laundering. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The court also discontinued proceedings it had initiated against …

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Second Swiss parliament chamber rejects cuts to Swissinfo

2026-03-04

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2026-03-04

The Swiss government wanted to cancel federal contributions to the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC)’s international services. This would have severely affected the financing of Swissinfo. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted against the proposal, following a similar vote in the Senate in December. The savings measure was one of 65 cost‑cutting proposals from the …

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Lausanne creative studio picked to design new Swiss banknotes

2026-03-04

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2026-03-04

The Lausanne design studio Emphase has won the Swiss National Bank's (SNB) competition to create the new banknote series. Their design on the concept "Switzerland and its altitudes" was selected over five other submissions, the SNB announced on Wednesday. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The SNB has commissioned the …

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When does neutrality law apply? Swiss government faces difficult decision over the Middle East conflict

2026-03-04

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2026-03-04

The Swiss government could soon face a delicate decision: if the conflict involving Iran drags on, Switzerland may have to apply its law of neutrality. This could restrict military overflights and arms exports to the United States. This is not without potential consequences for the Swiss defence industry. The recent US attack on Iran may …

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Swiss shoe company On exceeds CHF3 billion in sales for the first time

2026-03-03

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2026-03-03

For the first time, the Zurich-based shoe and apparel manufacturer generated sales of more than CHF3 billion (about $3.81 billion). At the same time, it succeeded in improving profitability. Sales rose by 30% to CHF 3.01 billion in its 15th anniversary year, On announced on Tuesday. The strong Swiss franc slowed development, resulting in growth …

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2025 judged an excellent year for Swiss wine

2026-03-03

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2026-03-03

Swiss winegrowers produced wine of 'excellent quality' last year thanks to favourable weather conditions. After a poor year in terms of volume in 2024 due to bad weather, the harvest volume rose to 82 million litres of wine. This is seven million litres more than in the previous year (+9.3%), as announced by the Federal …

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Swiss entrepreneurs to be better insured against unemployment

2026-03-03

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2026-03-03

Entrepreneurs who pay unemployment insurance contributions will be better insured against loss of livelihood. Following on from the House of Representatives, the Senate on Tuesday adopted a committee draft aimed at speeding up their access to these benefits, subject to certain conditions. At present, people who occupy a position similar to that of an employer, …

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European investors snapped up Swiss SMEs in 2025

2026-03-03

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2026-03-03

Swiss small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remain attractive to foreign buyers. An analysis by consultancy Deloitte shows that more Swiss SMEs were acquired by foreign investors in 2025 than ever before. Swiss public broadcaster SRF business editor Charlotte Jacquemart puts the figures into perspective. How many Swiss SMEs were acquired by foreign investors in 2025? …

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