Category Archive: 3.) Swissinfo Business and Economy

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Art Basel CEO: global art market at ‘inflection point’

2026-03-12

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2026-03-12

The global art market has returned to growth in 2025. According to the Art Market Report published by Art Basel and UBS on Thursday, sales rose by 4% to $59.6 billion (CHF46.52) following a 12% slump in the previous year. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox According to the report, … Continue...

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Iran shocks could spur a shift to clean energy – but also to coal

2026-03-12

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2026-03-12

The war in Iran is choking off oil and gas supplies and spiking energy prices around the world. And for many environmentalists, that’s a powerful argument for countries to curb their use of fossil fuels and shift to wind, solar and other renewable sources. But as the chaos forces nations to rethink their energy policies, … Continue...

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How Switzerland could shape the chip industry’s power balance

2026-03-12

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2026-03-12

The race for semiconductor supremacy is fuelling geopolitical tensions between the world’s superpowers. But a Swiss-based open-source technology aims to prevent a few dominant countries and companies from holding all the chips. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Just as the open-source Linux operating system has long challenged software market …

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US launches new trade investigation against Switzerland

2026-03-12

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2026-03-12

The US government is launching probes into numerous trade partners, including Switzerland, after US President Trump's tariff policy faced legal setbacks. The issue is whether structural overcapacity in manufacturing sectors in these countries is putting the US economy at a disadvantage. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox In addition to …

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Kristi Noem’s ‘overdue’ sacking, Trumponomics, and a gravity hoax

2026-03-11

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2026-03-11

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. Make sure you’re wearing lead boots on August 12 – that’s when Earth is going to lose gravity … Continue reading...

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From fine dining to fast food: Swiss dining cars through the ages

2026-03-11

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2026-03-11

The more than 100-year history of the Swiss dining car is varied – and at times surprising. From freshly cooked meals on board to steam-heated dishes and even a McDonald’s experiment, dining cars have always reflected their era. In the 19th century, the railway revolutionised transport across Europe. Switzerland’s first railway line opened between Zurich …

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Swiss arms exports jump 43% to CHF948 million

2026-03-10

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2026-03-10

Swiss firms exported war materiel worth CHF948.2 million ($1.2 billion) in 2025 - 43% more than the previous year. Sixty-four countries bought ammunition, armoured vehicles and weapons produced by Swiss companies. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The top five nations importing war materiel were Germany (CHF386.4 million), the United States …

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Climate solutions series: how does Switzerland deal with the food waste problem?

2026-03-10

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Send a text (https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/910414/open_sms) A bin bag can tell you a lot about a country. We follow the trail of rubbish from Swiss kitchen cupboards and discover why one of Europe’s wealthiest nations still throws away so much edible food. With fresh data, on‑the‑ground auditing, and candid insights from practitioners, we break down the gap between lofty goals and everyday habits, and why households remain the...

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Middle East conflict will push up petrol prices in Switzerland

2026-03-09

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2026-03-09

The conflict launched by Israel and the US against Iran has caused oil prices to rise further today. The situation prompts industry experts in Switzerland to forecast higher petrol prices in the future. Just four days ago, the Touring Club of Switzerland (TCS) quoted an average price of CHF1.74 (about $2.23) per litre for unleaded …

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UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti earned CHF14.9 million in 2025

2026-03-09

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2026-03-09

UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti received a total remuneration of CHF14.9 million (about $19 million) last year, the same amount as in 2024. His salary consists of a fixed part of CHF2.8 million and a variable part of CHF12.1 million, according to the annual report of Switzerland's leading bank published today. +Get the most important news …

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Vontobel warns that Switzerland must avoid ‘over-regulation’

2026-03-09

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2026-03-09

Vontobel has warned that Switzerland must avoid “over-regulation” as the government prepares to unveil sweeping reforms to its too-big-to-fail regime in the wake of Credit Suisse’s collapse. Co-chief executive Christel Rendu de Lint, who leads one of Switzerland’s larger listed banks and asset managers with CHF241 billion ($311 billion) in assets under management, said safeguarding …

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Six takeaways from Switzerland’s media licence fee battle

2026-03-08

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2026-03-08

The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), the parent company of Swissinfo, has weathered another challenge to its television and radio licence fee. On Sunday, Swiss voters clearly rejected a proposal to reduce funding for the licence fee. But the broader struggle over public broadcasting has yielded few winners — except one. Our analysis of Sunday’s vote. …

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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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March 8, 2026 vote: the results from across Switzerland

2026-03-08

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2026-03-08

Citizens voted 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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