Category Archive: 3.) Swissinfo Business and Economy

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Swiss banks prepare for Gulf clients

2026-03-31

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2026-03-31

The war in Iran is having unexpected consequences, such as renewed interest in Switzerland as a financial centre. Some clients are already transferring funds, or even considering relocating, as the conflict affects a region that had promoted economic and financial stability. We cannot yet speak of an exodus. But the signs are becoming increasingly clear. …

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Swiss lawmakers signal compromise on $22bn UBS capital plan

2026-03-31

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2026-03-31

Swiss lawmakers have assured senior UBS executives that they will water down stringent new rules as Bern finalises a decision on how much capital the country’s largest bank should hold. Senior parliamentarians have privately told UBS executives they would come up with a compromise on the finance ministry’s proposals, which would increase its capital requirements …

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Empty shop windows hurt attractiveness of Swiss cities

2026-03-30

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2026-03-30

As online shopping expands at breakneck speed, falling sales are forcing bricks and mortar Swiss retailers to close their doors, particularly in town centres. To bring deserted shop windows back to life, locals and municipalities are taking action. In January, Guillaume “Toto” Morand announced the closure of his funeral home in Geneva after 28 years …

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Switzerland faces a steep energy bill due to the Middle East conflict 

2026-03-30

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2026-03-30

The global rise in oil prices due to the conflict in the Middle East has made the import of fossil fuels more expensive. For Switzerland, the additional energy costs could amount to nearly CHF5 billion ($6.3 billion) per year, according to a researcher. The military escalation in the Persian Gulf is driving up the prices …

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Switzerland’s wine-making president pushes to restrict imports

2026-03-30

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2026-03-30

Effort to boost local producers draws ire from foreign rivals and domestic merchants. Switzerland is proposing to restrict wine imports under a plan from the country’s president, a trained winemaker with a family vineyard near Lake Geneva. Guy Parmelin wants to restrict merchants from buying foreign wine unless they also buy or process Swiss grapes, …

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The US plans to buy $10 million worth of Swiss cheese – just not from Switzerland

2026-03-30

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2026-03-30

US tariffs are being used to procure Swiss cheese produced by American farmers under a special provision to absorb surplus production and protect rural jobs. On February 19, United States Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) intention to purchase up to $263 million (CHF208 million) in dairy and …

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Gang steals CHF1.7m worth of cars and number plates in eastern Switzerland

2026-03-29

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2026-03-29

Thieves stole luxury cars and licence plates on Saturday worth over CHF1.7 million ($2.1 million) in cantons St Gallen and Thurgau, Swiss police reported on Sunday. Police arrested three people from France. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox In Muolen, canton St Gallen, thieves stole two cars worth a total of …

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ICRC president urges Switzerland to stand firmly by international law

2026-03-29

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2026-03-29

The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric, has called on Switzerland to reaffirm its full commitment to international law, saying this is the most effective way to safeguard the security of its own population. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox “It’s not enough to just …

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Switzerland to extend US trade talks beyond March deadline, says Parmelin

2026-03-29

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2026-03-29

Switzerland will continue negotiating a trade agreement with the United States beyond the planned March 31 deadline, Swiss President Guy Parmelin said on Saturday on the sidelines of the Swiss People's Party's delegates’ assembly. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The March 31 deadline is “no longer valid”, Parmelin told the …

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Swiss apricot farmers grapple with frosty conditions

2026-03-28

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2026-03-28

Fruit growers in canton Valais in southern Switzerland are anxiously watching the weather as frost threatens the region’s apricot trees. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox "The first torches were lit around 11pm," Jean-Noël Devènes, a fruit grower in Baar, near Nendaz, told the Keystone-SDA news agency. He described a "nasty …

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Nestlé reports 12 tonnes of KitKat stolen in Europe

2026-03-28

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2026-03-28

A huge shipment of 12 tonnes of KitKat - over 400,000 chocolate bars - was stolen last week in Europe while being transported by truck between production and distribution facilities. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The Swiss food giant Nestlé reported that 12 tonnes of KitKat chocolate bars were stolen …

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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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