Category Archive: 3.) Swissinfo Business and Economy

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US democracy under pressure, oil as a weapon, and believing in the apocalypse

2026-03-18

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2026-03-18

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. Do you think the world will end in your lifetime? Apparently a third of Americans do, but whether … Continue reading...

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Lonza to relocate around 40 jobs from Switzerland to India

2026-03-18

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2026-03-18

The Swiss biopharmaceutical contract manufacturer Lonza plans to relocate around 40 jobs, including some from Visp in canton Valais, to the Indian city of Hyderabad by the end of 2026. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox "Lonza is extending its centralised services model, which currently covers finance, human resources, IT and …

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Heavy traffic expected in Switzerland over Easter

2026-03-18

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2026-03-18

Motorists travelling to southern Switzerland over the Easter weekend should expect long delays. Traffic will already be heavy on the weekend before Easter on March 28-29. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Some routes will be busy from Friday March 27, particularly the Gotthard (A2) and San Bernardino (A13) motorways, the …

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SWISS cancels hundreds of flights this summer due to pilot shortage

2026-03-18

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2026-03-18

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has been forced to cancel hundreds of flights this summer due to a shortage of cockpit staff as well as technical and structural bottlenecks. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox A total of 326 flights will be cancelled, a SWISS spokesperson told the AWP news agency …

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Switzerland lowers 2026 growth forecast due to Middle East conflict

2026-03-18

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2026-03-18

The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) has lowered its forecast for Swiss growth this year due to the conflict in the Middle East. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Swiss gross domestic product (GDP) in 2026 is expected to rise by only 1%, compared to 1.1% estimated in December. By …

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UBS completes migration of Credit Suisse clients in Switzerland

2026-03-18

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2026-03-18

UBS has completed the migration of Swiss-booked clients of Credit Suisse, which it took over in 2023. The bank has now completed the migration of all former Credit Suisse clients to UBS infrastructure globally, it said on Wednesday. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox A total of around 1.2 million clients …

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Swiss energy supply is secure despite conflict in Middle East, say officials

2026-03-18

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2026-03-18

Switzerland's energy supply is secure despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, according to government officials. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox A meeting of a national committee responsible for energy supply security was held on Tuesday, attended by Economics Minister Guy Parmelin and Energy Minister Albert Rösti. The committee …

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Stranded in a crisis zone – who is responsible for repatriation?

2026-03-18

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2026-03-18

The military confrontation between Iran and a US–Israel-led alliance has entered its third week and impacted ten countries. Over 1,200 registered Swiss citizens remain in the Middle East region, yet no further repatriation flights are planned. Bern stresses personal responsibility, but criticism is mounting. Is it justified? The Gulf region – along with Israel – …

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Swatch CEO’s pay falls to CHF4.7m after profit slump in 2025

2026-03-18

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2026-03-18

Swatch Group CEO Nick Hayek took a pay cut in 2025 after the watchmaker reported a nearly 90% plunge in profits. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox According to the company's 2025 annual report published on Wednesday, the Swatch boss received total remuneration of CHF4.7 million ($6 million), down from CHF5 …

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Climate solution series: how Bangladesh adapts to erosion, floods and rising seas

2026-03-17

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Where do people go when the water takes their land? Guided by a three-year ETH Zurich study and first-hand voices, we trace a pattern that defies the headlines: most climate migration is short and local, driven by community ties, scarce resources, and the will to stay near what remains.⁠ ⁠ Listen to the full episode to find out more about the climate challenges in Bangladesh. --- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting...

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US oil buoys Swiss fossil fuel needs amid Middle East conflict 

2026-03-17

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2026-03-17

The conflict in the Middle East has disrupted the global movement of oil and gas. Although Switzerland does not directly depend on the Persian Gulf for its energy supply, an extended Middle East conflict and high energy prices will have consequences for the Alpine country. The price of oil – and even more so that …

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Baby formula recall in Switzerland: why the delay?

2026-03-17

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2026-03-17

Several infant formula brands have recalled batches since January over traces of a potentially dangerous toxin, raising fresh questions about inspection standards. In Switzerland, food safety still hinges largely on manufacturers’ own controls. Nestlé was the first company to raise the alarm. Initially in the Netherlands, where the food giant detected the presence of cereulide, …

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Swiss companies export military equipment worth almost CHF1 billion

2026-03-16

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2026-03-16

Swiss companies exported war materiel worth CHF948.2 million ($1.2 billion) in 2025. This means that last year's war materiel exports almost equalled the record figure of CHF955 million set in 2022. According to the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), Germany was the largest buyer of the deliveries authorised by SECO in 2025, with exports …

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Swiss pharma firm Idorsia CEO resigns after less than a year

2026-03-16

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2026-03-16

After less than a year in office, Srishti Gupta steps down as CEO of Swiss pharma firm Idorsia. She has also left the Board of Directors. Founder and long-standing CEO Jean-Paul Clozel will take over as interim CEO. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Clozel remains a member of the Board …

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Julius Bär CEO earned CHF24 million in 2025

2026-03-16

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2026-03-16

CEO Stefan Bollinger will receive compensation of CHF24 million ($30.3 million) from the private bank Julius Bär. That's CHF10 million more than UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox According to the annual report published on Monday, Bollinger received a total payment of CHF8.27 million for his operational …

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Switzerland stopping short of releasing oil reserves, says president

2026-03-14

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2026-03-14

Swiss President Guy Parmelin says there is currently no serious oil shortage in Switzerland. The government is therefore not yet heeding the International Energy Agency’s call to release its oil reserves, he told the press on Friday. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox “The International Energy Agency has called on its …

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Most of world’s largest fashion firms off course to meet climate targets

2026-03-14

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2026-03-14

Despite ambitious climate targets, only 3 of the 42 largest clothing brands in the world are on a clear path to limiting global warming to 1.5°C. Two Swiss companies, On and Mammut, received middling grades in the Fossil-Free Fashion Scorecard 2025 by NGO Stand.earth. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Mammut …

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Why the farm shop works so well in Switzerland

2026-03-14

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2026-03-14

In hardly any other country are farm shops as widespread as in Switzerland – a product of short distances, high purchasing power and mutual trust. Swiss agriculture is often perceived internationally as the epitome of timeless tradition. But behind this idyllic image, a profound structural change is taking place. While wholesalers dominate the markets worldwide, …

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WEF founder wants to keep Forum in Switzerland

2026-03-14

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2026-03-14

Klaus Schwab wants to keep the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. He argued in an interview with the NZZ that a neutral platform is needed in neutral Switzerland. In his view, the WEF property in Cologny, near Geneva, ought to be transferred to public ownership. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox …

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Switzerland edges toward lifting ban on new nuclear plants

2026-03-12

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2026-03-12

The Senate has voted to lift Switzerland’s ban on building new nuclear power plants. On Wednesday it approved the government’s indirect counterproposal to the so-called “Blackout Initiative”. The House of Representatives will now take up the issue. Here’s why nuclear energy is back in the spotlight. Even as Switzerland phases out its ageing reactors, the …

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