Category Archive: 3) Swiss Markets and News

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Switzerland remains ‘positive’ on the WTO despite ‘worries’

2026-03-28

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2026-03-28

Switzerland's secretary of state for economic affairs, says she is "worried" about the future of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Helene Budliger Artieda made the statement on the sidelines of the WTO ministerial meeting in Yaoundé, Cameroon, last week. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox "Of course we're worried," Helene Budliger …

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The Swiss medical breakthrough that cured the ‘cretins of the Alps’

2026-03-28

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2026-03-28

Switzerland was the laboratory that turned a chemical intuition into a global public health victory. Thanks to three visionary doctors, the country was the first to introduce the iodination of table salt, a practice that helped defeat the scourge of cretinism in the Alps. Switzerland is a global icon of precision, innovation, luxury and prosperity. …

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Former Olympian CEO on hurdles facing Swiss confectioner Kägi 

2026-03-28

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2026-03-28

The CEO of Kägi, a Swiss company best known for its iconic chocolate wafers, says the company is facing difficult times. Kägi is a quintessential Swiss company. Founded nearly a century ago and long family‑run, it is now owned by a US conglomerate. Its traditional chocolate wafer biscuits are closely linked to the image of …

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Science podcast: cracking the chip code

2026-03-27

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2026-03-27

In a world obsessed with semiconductors, Switzerland is making a strategic move. But what exactly makes these tiny components so vital, and can the Alpine nation carve out its own niche in this high-stakes global race? Join us on the latest episode of ‘The Swiss Connection’ science podcast as we delve into the complex world …

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Women harvest hope as extremist threat grows in Benin

2026-03-27

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2026-03-27

Terrorism in the Sahel is destabilising West Africa, with armed groups linked to al‑Qaeda and Islamic State exploiting deep poverty to recruit new fighters. In northern Benin, however, women’s cooperatives are turning to the shea tree to build economic opportunities – an initiative supported by Switzerland. The tree towers several metres above the women beneath …

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Truth or tale: can any foreigner place millions at a Swiss bank?

2026-03-26

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Scandals featuring foreign despots hiding assets in Switzerland have prompted some of you to ask if it is true that anyone can place huge sums of money in the country’s financial institutions.⁠ ⁠ Visit Swissinfo to read more. ⁠ ⁠ #switzerland #swiss #swissbanks #banks #money⁠ --- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on...

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US circumvents Swiss payment freeze for Patriot air-defence system

2026-03-26

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2026-03-26

Switzerland halted payments for US Patriot surface-to-air defence systems last autumn after learning deliveries would be delayed by several years. But the Swiss public broadcaster SRF reveals that the freeze is having little effect: the US has been redirecting Swiss payments intended for the F‑35 fighter jet to cover Patriot costs. Urs Loher, director of …

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Fuel prices continue to rise in Switzerland

2026-03-26

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2026-03-26

The war in Iran has driven fuel prices in Switzerland even higher. Within a week, the price of petrol rose by a further 5 centimes per litre. This is shown by analyses from the Touring Club Switzerland (TCS). Whereas a litre of unleaded 95 cost an average of CHF1.82 ($2.29) across Switzerland a week ago … Continue reading »

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Geneva proposes payment to winegrowers to avoid losing its vineyards

2026-03-26

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2026-03-26

Faced with a major crisis in Swiss winegrowing, the canton of Geneva wants to introduce an alternative to uprooting grape vines. The canton will pay CHF 18,000 (about $22,741) per hectare per year to maintain the plots, but with no obligation to produce grapes. The aim is to preserve vineyards. This aid will apply to …

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Euroairport Basel-Mulhouse announces eight new destinations for summer

2026-03-26

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2026-03-26

The Basel-Mulhouse airport run jointly by France and Switzerland has announced eight new destinations in its summer flight schedule for 2026. These include Bodrum (Turkey), Chisinau (Moldova), Lille (France) and Podgorica (Montenegro), as detailed in a press release issued on Wednesday. There will also be new flights to Poznan (Poland), Stockholm (Sweden), Tigru Mures (Romania) …

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Building a Swiss FabLab: the future of Switzerland’s semiconductor strategy

2026-03-25

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In the latest episode of The Swiss Connection science podcast, we're digging into the push to create a Swiss FabLab, a shared chip fabrication laboratory that brings public research and private industry together under the Swiss Chip Alliance. Our host JO Fahy is joined by Swissinfo.ch's business and tech specialist Matthew Allen to unpack what’s being proposed near Zurich, why it’s still at the conceptual phase, and what it could mean for...

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Trump’s headwear psychoanalysed, ICE agents at airports, and Iran oil sanctions

2026-03-25

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2026-03-25

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. Does the wearing of MAGA caps reflect a “widespread infantilisation of American society”, as one Swiss writer reckoned …

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Bern office of Israeli defence firm Elbit damaged

2026-03-25

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2026-03-25

The Bern office of the Israeli defence contractor Elbit Systems was damaged last Friday. The Bern Cantonal Police confirmed a report in the newspaper Le Courrier to the Keystone-SDA news agency. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox According to initial police findings, an unknown female suspect gained access to Elbit's …

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Swiss economic index falls due to Middle East conflict

2026-03-25

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2026-03-25

One indicator for the Swiss economy fell deep into negative territory in March due in large part to the conflict in the Middle East. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The so-called UBS CFA indicator slumped to -35.0 in March from +9.8 points in February, as UBS economists announced on …

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Switzerland sees battery boom as homes and firms store more solar power

2026-03-25

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2026-03-25

A rapid but mostly invisible energy transformation is taking place in Switzerland: households and businesses are installing batteries at record pace, rising roughly 400% over the past four years. The trend shows no signs of slowing. According to Swissolar, the solar industry association, battery deployment is accelerating sharply. Its Battery Monitor Switzerland 2026 is the …

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Will WTO member states be able to reform the organisation?

2026-03-25

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2026-03-25

Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) meet from March 26–29 in Yaoundé, Cameroon, for the 14th Ministerial Conference, the body’s main decision-making forum. A reform proposal is on the agenda for the negotiations, which will take place in a tense geopolitical climate. The 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) – the …

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Geneva Airport faces growing losses from Middle East conflict

2026-03-25

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2026-03-25

Geneva Airport has reported a drop in profit in 2025 and growing financial losses due to the Middle East conflict and reduced flights. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The management company Genève Aéroport closed last year with a turnover of CHF539 million ($681 million), up 1% on the previous …

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Building a Swiss FabLab: the future of Switzerland’s semiconductor strategy

2026-03-24

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Send us Fan Mail (https://www.buzzsprout.com/910414/fan_mail/new) In this episode of The Swiss Connection science podcast, we're digging into the push to create a Swiss FabLab, a shared chip fabrication laboratory that brings public research and private industry together under the Swiss Chip Alliance. Our host Jo Fahy is joined by swissinfo.ch's business and tech specialist Matthew Allen to unpack what’s being proposed near Zurich, why it’s...

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The dramatic freezing of Ferdinand Marcos’s assets in Switzerland

2026-03-24

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2026-03-24

Forty years ago Switzerland froze the assets of toppled Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos under dramatic circumstances. This move marked a turning point in how Switzerland deals with assets belonging to politically exposed people. March 24, 1986, started as a quiet day in Bern. It was a Monday, and the Swiss parliament’s spring session had just …

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Truth or tale: can any foreigner place millions at a Swiss bank?

2026-03-24

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2026-03-24

Scandals featuring foreign despots hiding assets in Switzerland have prompted Swissinfo readers to ask if it is true that anyone can place huge sums of money in the country’s financial institutions. Anyone can request to open an account at a bank in Switzerland, the Swiss Bankers Association explains on its website. But first, a potential …

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