Category Archive: 3) Swiss Markets and News

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Explainer: Swiss to vote on initiative to cut media licence fee

2026-01-12

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2026-01-12

On March 8, the Swiss will vote on an initiative that wants to almost halve the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC)’s television and radio licence fee for households and exempt companies from paying it. Critics say the cuts would be too drastic, arguing that national cohesion and democracy are at risk. The initiative is one of …

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Swiss Alpine solar farms show promise – and limits

2026-01-12

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2026-01-12

Switzerland is developing large solar farms in the mountains to increase the generation of renewable power, especially in winter. They are being rolled out under the federal “Solar Express” scheme, launched in 2022, which has met with mixed success. An analysis by Swiss public TV, SRF. The Swiss government launched the "Solar Express" initiative (see …

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Proposal for stricter capital requirements for UBS faces opposition

2026-01-11

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2026-01-11

The Swiss government's planned tightening of capital regulations for big bank UBS is under pressure. This is reflected in the political reactions following the end of the consultation period. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The Swiss government wants internationally active, systemically important banks to be required to fully capitalise their …

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Most Swiss political parties object to proposal to tax electric vehicles

2026-01-11

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2026-01-11

The Swiss government's proposal to impose a new tax on electric vehicles by 2030 is causing an uproar. The political parties, the Transport and Environment Association and the Touring Club of Switzerland (TCS) are all calling for changes or to reject the proposal. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The consultation …

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Bar owner apologises to Crans-Montana fire victims

2026-01-10

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2026-01-10

"My thoughts are constantly with the victims," Jessica Moretti, one of the owners of Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, told Swiss public television RTS on Friday. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox "It is an unimaginable tragedy," Moretti said after she and her co-owner husband, Jacques, were questioned in the town …

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Most Swiss banks expect slump in sustainable products

2026-01-10

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2026-01-10

Some 86% of Swiss banks expect customer demand for sustainable financial products to stagnate or decline in the medium to long term, according to the findings of a survey conducted by the consulting firm EY. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox According to the study, sustainable investments have recently lost considerable …

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SWISS cancels more flights due to freezing weather conditions

2026-01-10

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2026-01-10

The airline SWISS has had to cancel further flights due to the weather. Twelve individual flights were cancelled on Saturday alone, a spokesperson told the Keystone-SDA news agency. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The flights affected on Saturday are return flights from Zurich to Nice (France), Frankfurt (Germany), Düsseldorf (Germany), …

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Honorary consul proudly promotes Switzerland in southern France

2026-01-10

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2026-01-10

Geoffroy Baylaender has been a Swiss honorary consul in Montpellier, France, for two years. This hands-on role requires personal commitment, plus an ease with diplomatic protocol and delicate situations – all responsibilities that he embraces. “I’m proud of my country, and this position allows me to serve it in a new way. Before, it was …

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How wine and cheese help shape Swiss politics

2026-01-09

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2026-01-09

Aperitifs are more central to political life in French-speaking Switzerland than in the German-speaking regions, reflecting cultural differences. In the middle of the vineyards, with views of the Mont Blanc massif and the Chablais mountains, stands the rustic tavern of the L’Ovaille wine estate in the village of Yvorne. Here, Vaud agricultural minister Valérie Dittli …

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Crans-Montana tragedy: ‘Our hearts go out to you’, say Swiss Abroad

2026-01-09

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2026-01-09

Switzerland is observing a national day of mourning on January 9 in honour of the victims of the deadly New Year’s Eve bar fire in Crans-Montana. The tragedy in the Swiss ski resort has also deeply affected Swiss citizens around the world. Messages left in the special online book of condolences launched by the authorities … Continue...

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Swiss National Bank makes CHF26 billion profit

2026-01-09

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2026-01-09

The Swiss National Bank (SNB) has once again made a high profit in 2025. The government and cantons will benefit accordingly. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Specifically, according to provisional calculations, the SNB is reporting a profit of around CHF26 billion ($32.5 billion) for 2025. In 2024, it reported a …

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Freeze forces SWISS to cancel dozens of flights

2026-01-08

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2026-01-08

Swiss International Air Lines has cancelled 57 flights since the beginning of the year due to the weather. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The airline expects further cancellations in the coming days due to the current weather conditions in Europe. A total of around 7,430 passengers were affected by the …

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Swiss pharma industry braced for upheaval

2026-01-08

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2026-01-08

United States trade policy has exposed the Swiss pharmaceutical industry to a period of upheaval, according to Interpharma, which represents Switzerland's research-based pharma firms. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Switzerland is currently standing at a crossroads, said Interpharma president Jörg-Michael Rupp stated at the association’s annual media conference. + How …

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Swiss banks less optimistic due to lower interest rates

2026-01-08

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2026-01-08

The fall in interest rates is putting Swiss banks under pressure, according to the new EY Banking Barometer. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Just under half of banks expect operating results to decline in 2025, although a majority expect margins in the interest business to stabilise. + Have foreign leaders …

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Swiss inflation slowed sharply in 2025

2026-01-08

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2026-01-08

Inflation slowed to 0.2% in Switzerland last year, as an acceleration in rents was offset by a fall in energy costs. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox This trend could encourage the Swiss National Bank (SNB) to maintain the monetary status quo. Inflation accelerated by an average of 0.2% in 2025, … Continue...

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Jungfrau Railways visitor numbers top a million in 2025

2026-01-08

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2026-01-08

The Jungfrau Railway Group once again transported over a million guests to the Jungfraujoch in 2025. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The group also presented new medium-term targets. As in the previous year, a total of 1.06 million guests were transported to the Jungfraujoch. This corresponds to a slight decrease …

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Swiss property prices continued to rise in 2025

2026-01-08

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2026-01-08

Asking prices for owner-occupied apartments rose significantly in Switzerland last year. Inflation was less pronounced for single-family homes. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Nationwide, prices for condominiums rose by 4.2% year-on-year. Single-family homes recorded a more moderate increase of 2.6%. This is according to the ImmoScout24 purchase index, compiled jointly …

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Capture of Nicolás Maduro, US tech dominance, and new vaccination advice

2026-01-07

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2026-01-07

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. Venezuela’s strongman leader Nicolás Maduro was captured by the US armed forces in Caracas at the weekend and …

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Swiss oil traders weigh opportunities following US intervention in Venezuela 

2026-01-07

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2026-01-07

The US military intervention in Venezuela and capture of president Nicolás Maduro has put the world’s largest oil reserves back on the global energy map. Switzerland’s oil traders are paying close attention. Since the United States imposed sanctions on Venezuela’s state oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA), in 2019 under Donald Trump, Swiss oil …

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Swiss consumers buying fewer new cars

2026-01-07

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2026-01-07

The Swiss are buying fewer cars and the vehicle fleet is ageing, according to the vehicle importers' association Auto-Swiss. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Specifically, according to data released on January 2 by Auto-Swiss, the importers' association, but with little media coverage apart from the Tages-Anzeiger, 233,700 new cars will …

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