Category Archive: 3.) Swissinfo Business and Economy

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Swiss agricultural cooperative pays farms CHF7.2m drought relief

2026-09-18

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2026-09-18

The Fenaco agricultural cooperative believes that Swiss farms, which have been put under severe strain following the heatwave this summer, need support. A drought payment of CHF7.2 million will therefore be made to 13,000 agricultural businesses, according to a press release issued on Friday. This will amount to between CHF100 and CHF2,000 per member registered …

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Kremlin justifies ‘unfriendly’ Nestlé asset grab

2026-09-18

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2026-09-18

Russia's seizure of assets belonging to Swiss multinational Nestlé and other European companies is because they are based in “unfriendly countries” that support Ukraine, according to the Kremlin. The measure also applies to the Russian subsidiaries of French companies Auchan and the former Leroy Merlin entity. + Russian supermarket shelves ‘full of Nestlé products’ A …

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Swiss apprenticeship market remains bouyant

2026-09-18

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2026-09-18

Some 76,000 new apprentices have signed contracts in Switzerland, meaning that the model will remain stable in 2026. Vocational training remains the most important educational pathway for young people after compulsory schooling. + Why the world should take notice of the Swiss apprenticeship model At the end of August, the number of apprenticeship contracts stood …

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Revolut seeks to challenge Swiss banking sector

2026-09-18

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2026-09-18

Digital bank Revolut already has a million customers in Switzerland. Now the company is applying for a Swiss banking licence. Why? A new player could soon make its mark on the Swiss banking sector – one that already has 1.3 million customers here. Revolut is regarded as the largest "neo-bank" in Switzerland. It's a financial …

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Why Switzerland stays out of the European Union

2026-09-18

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2026-09-18

At the heart of Europe, Switzerland is deeply intertwined with the European Union but remains firmly outside the bloc. Has this carefully guarded independence served its interests, or do the Swiss hold an overly idealised view of their autonomy? Switzerland has charted its own course in Europe, relying on a web of agreements that govern …

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Russia seizes control of Nestlé subsidiaries

2026-09-18

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2026-09-18

Swiss food giant Nestlé is losing control of part of its Russian business. Russian president Vladimir Putin has placed two Nestlé companies under Russian control. A decree issued on Thursday stated that shares in Nestlé Russia and Nestlé Kuban would now be managed by the Russian firm LEV Management. The presidential order also applies to …

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Swiss parliament vote on UBS capital rules postponed

2026-09-17

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2026-09-17

The Swiss Senate has not yet taken any decisions on the future capital requirement rules for systemically important large banks with foreign holdings. Due to time constraints, it was unable to conclude its deliberations on the bill on Thursday. The debate will continue next week. The regulation, which would currently affect, in practice, only the …

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Swiss Senate rejects tax on short-haul flights

2026-09-17

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2026-09-17

The Swiss Senate does not want a tax on short-haul flights. On Wednesday, it voted 20 to 17 against taking forward an initiative from the canton of Basel-City to that effect. While temperatures soared this summer, the country’s airports also reported record passenger numbers in July, noted parliamentarian Maya Graf from the Green party. She …

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US judge dismisses oil trader’s Swiss smears complaint

2026-09-17

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2026-09-17

The United Arab Emirates won dismissal of a lawsuit by an oil trader who alleged the state directed a smear campaign that pushed his company into bankruptcy. The lawsuit, filed in January 2024 by oil trader Hazim Nada, claimed that his company, Lord Energy, was targeted by a misinformation campaign orchestrated by Swiss private investigative …

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Switzerland raises economic growth forecast significantly

2026-09-17

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2026-09-17

According to the federal government’s economists, the Swiss economy is likely to perform significantly better than previously expected. They are therefore raising their forecast substantially. The federal government’s expert group has revised its forecast for 2026 to predict growth in real gross domestic product (GDP, adjusted for sporting events) of 1.7%, up from the previous …

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Switzerland’s top trade negotiator resigns

2026-09-17

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2026-09-17

State Secretary for Economic Affairs Helene Budliger Artieda has announced she will be stepping down from her post at the end of March 2027. The director of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) intends to take on a new professional challenge, the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (DEFR) announced on …

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Swiss petrol prices reach a new yearly high

2026-09-16

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2026-09-16

Fuel prices at Swiss petrol stations are continuing to rise unabated. The price per litre at the pumps has reached a new high this year. According to the latest figures from Touring Club Switzerland, the average price for a litre of unleaded 95 petrol across Switzerland is currently CHF2.10. That is a further 5 cents … Continue reading...

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Swiss firm Stadler Rail will supply eight locomotives to Italy

2026-09-16

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2026-09-16

The Thurgau-based train manufacturer has won a contract to supply eight Eurolight Dual locomotives to Mercitalia Shunting & Terminal, a subsidiary of FS Logistix, a company within the Ferrovie dello Stato group operating in the logistics sector. The aim is to improve the efficiency, flexibility and sustainability of services on the national rail network, the …

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Swiss passenger rail traffic reaches record high in 2025

2026-09-16

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2026-09-16

In 2025, rail transport volume totalled 23.7 billion passenger-kilometres, according to figures published on Wednesday by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). In a direct year-on-year comparison, rail demand rose by 3.2% compared to 2024 (22.9 billion passenger-kilometres), representing an increase of 737 million passenger-kilometres in one year. A passenger-kilometre corresponds to the transport of one …

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Balyasny hedge fund boosts Swiss presence

2026-09-16

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2026-09-16

Balyasny Asset Management is opening a presence in the Swiss tax haven of Zug, adding to the numbers of global hedge fund roles located in the country. The Chicago-based firm with $38 billion assets under management is currently hiring for two commodities-related roles with Zug as a location option, as well as other analyst roles, …

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Swiss parliament approves Mercosur free trade deal

2026-09-16

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2026-09-16

Parliament has approved the EFTA free trade agreement with the Mercosur countries. Following the Senate, the House of Representatives has also approved a compromise under which the agricultural sector will receive half a billion Swiss francs in support. The final say is likely to rest with the people. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives approved …

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Swiss companies are not ready for AI-enabled cyberattacks

2026-09-16

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2026-09-16

According to a study, boards of directors of Swiss companies are lagging behind in the fight against cyberattacks involving artificial intelligence. Yet the rise in such attacks is exacerbating the risks, particularly for SMEs in Switzerland. Cybercriminals are making increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI). However, 74% of businesses have no explicit strategy to combat …

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Revolut applies for a banking licence in Switzerland

2026-09-16

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2026-09-16

The British ‘neobank’ Revolut, whose services are already used by over a million Swiss residents, is now applying for a Swiss banking licence. The online bank plans to invest more than CHF150 million in the Swiss market over the next five years. The granting of a licence by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) …

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Switzerland must reform to keep global lead, says OECD

2026-09-15

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2026-09-15

Switzerland must embrace tax and pension reforms to preserve its status as one of the world’s top economies, the OECD said, raising its growth forecast for the country. The Paris-based organisation now anticipates expansion of 2% this year, up from 1.1% predicted in June, following a surprisingly strong performance in the second quarter. Officials cautioned …

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Swiss seed giant Syngenta ‘plans $5bn Hong Kong IPO’

2026-09-15

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2026-09-15

Syngenta has confidentially filed for a Hong Kong initial public offering, according to people familiar with the matter, as it moves ahead with a share sale that was delayed by the impact of the war in the Middle East. The Chinese-owned seed and pesticide company is considering seeking about $5 billion in the IPO, the …

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