Category Archive: 3.) Swissinfo Business and Economy

Swiss pensioners to be compensated for inflation

Pensions in Switzerland should in future be topped up to fully account for the rising cost of consumer goods, parliament has agreed.

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Credit Suisse forced to address restructuring concerns

Troubled Swiss bank Credit Suisse has sought to quieten rampant speculation about its upcoming strategic revamp following leaks to the media and concerns of its staff.

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Swiss diaspora more keen on pension reform and animal welfare

While the pension reform, which raises the retirement age for women from 64 to 65, was narrowly accepted in Sunday's vote, the Swiss Abroad were more strongly in favour. The majority of voting expats were also in favour of abolishing factory farming and withholding tax unlike resident citizens. Pauline Turuban My specialty is telling stories, and decoding what happens in Switzerland and the world from accumulated data and...

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Zurich to enshrine the circular economy in constitution

Voters in Switzerland’s biggest canton have overwhelmingly approved a new article to promote a cleaner and more efficient use of resources.

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Reform of withholding tax flops in Swiss ballot

Voters have thrown out a decision by parliament to scrap withholding tax on interest from Swiss bonds. Final results show 52% of voters coming out against the reform, which was aimed at boosting investment in Switzerland as well as strengthening the country’s competitiveness and its finance industry.

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The positives and negatives of Swiss interest rates

By normal standards, interest rates of 0.5% are considered low. But Switzerland has just emerged from a long period of negative interest after the Swiss National Bank (SNB) raised rates from -0.25% to +0.5%.

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Work to begin on Swiss backup power plant

The Swiss government has given the green light to begin the construction of a temporary reserve power plant due to be operational from February next year.

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Wealthy echelons thrive amid economic volatility

The world’s richest people saw their wealth expand last year as stock markets and real estate gained in value, according to Swiss bank Credit Suisse.

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Energy worries likely to slow Swiss growth, say experts

Swiss economic growth forecasts for 2022 and 2023 have been revised significantly downwards, amid uncertainty over energy supply and inflation.

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Swiss electricity data reaches government with major delays

The Swiss government lacks up-to-date information on national electricity production and consumption, according to the Swiss Federal Office of Energy. This is due to the lack of digitalisation of the electricity companies. The lack of information was a focal point of Sunday news report amid rising concerns over an energy crunch in Europe as Russia’s war in Ukraine drags on.

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Competition authorities probe Novartis over suspected patent abuse

The Swiss competition commission (COMCO) has opened an investigation into suspected unlawful use of a patent to reduce competitive pressure by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis.

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Swiss car importer pledges to end petrol vehicle sales

Switzerland’s largest car importer, AMAG, plans to sell purely electric powered vehicles from 2040 and is diversifying into solar systems and heat pumps.

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Switzerland braces for winter energy crunch

Despite being one of the world’s richest countries, Switzerland also faces the threat of an energy shortage in the coming months. The authorities are scrambling to prepare.

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Swiss parliament okays purchase of F-35 jets from US

Switzerland’s House of Representatives has approved the purchase of new F-35 fighter jets from the United States. The decision clears the path for Bern to sign the purchase contract, even though an initiative to prevent the deal has not been voted on by Swiss voters.

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Support drops for pension reform and factory farming ban 

A reform of the Swiss old age pension system has lost ground but is still likely to win a majority in a nationwide vote later this month, pollsters say. 

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Swiss price watchdog lays out options for slashing electricity costs

By reducing grid connection fees and municipal duties, the federal government could help to keep electricity bills down, Stefan Meierhans told Le Matin Dimanche newspaper. Meierhans said it is possible for the government to change the framework conditions that would allow a lowering of fees for using the grid.

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Former UBS CEO sees no need for two big Swiss banks

Having two big players like UBS and Credit Suisse provides no “compelling” economic benefit for Switzerland, Sergio Ermotti has told the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper.

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Novartis to spend $300m on biotherapeutics drive

Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis is investing $300 million ($288 million) in biotherapeutics development, which includes a new $100 million biologics hub at its home base in Basel.

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How gold mining in Ghana is threatening Swiss chocolate

As the world’s second-largest cocoa producer continues to lose swathes of farmland to illegal gold mining, Switzerland's chocolate makers are waking up to the threat to their raw material supply.

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Home ownership remains a mirage for most Swiss

Many Swiss dream of owning a single-family home in the countryside and passing it on to their children. For most, this dream is increasingly unrealistic.

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