Category Archive: 3.) Swissinfo Business and Economy

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Trump promised the ‘world’s lowest’ drug prices. We checked the numbers.

2026-03-20

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2026-03-20

The TrumpRx website claims to offer the best prices for medications. Here’s where Americans still pay more — and much more. President Donald Trump and top federal health officials have repeatedly claimed that their new website, TrumpRx, offers Americans the world’s lowest prices on prescription drugs. “I took prescription drugs, a very big part of …

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Could direct democracy trip up Swiss trade deals?

2026-03-19

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As global trade rules fray, countries are scrambling to shore up export markets and diversify partners. For highly globalised, export-dependent Switzerland, there could be an added complication: the ballot box.⁠ ⁠ Visit Swissinfo to read more about this. --- 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 international events. For...

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Swiss foreign minister to strengthen partnerships on tour of Africa

2026-03-19

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2026-03-19

Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis will visit Angola, Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso next week. Discussions with his counterparts will focus on trade and economic relations, as well as scientific and international cooperation, the government said on Thursday. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox From March 23-27, the foreign minister …

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Swiss city draws positive results after three years of controlled cannabis sales

2026-03-19

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2026-03-19

Authorities in the city of Basel have drawn a positive interim conclusion following three years of regulated cannabis sales in the city on the Rhine. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Thanks to the Weed Care pilot project, the inhalation of smoke from joints containing tobacco has fallen significantly, the cantonal …

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Could direct democracy put the brakes on trade?

2026-03-19

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2026-03-19

At a time when global trade rules are weakening, countries are looking to bolster their exports and diversify their agreements. But Switzerland faces a unique challenge: the power of the ballot box.

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Swiss National Bank keeps interest rate unchanged

2026-03-19

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2026-03-19

In an international environment marked by profound uncertainty, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) is leaving its monetary policy unchanged: the institution is keeping its benchmark rate at 0.0%, the level at which it has been since June 2025. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox This is the third consecutive time that …

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Swiss airports see record number of travellers

2026-03-19

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2026-03-19

Swiss airports handled 60 million passengers on scheduled and charter flights in 2025. Passenger numbers have never been so high, surpassing even numbers before the Covid-19 pandemic, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) said on Thursday. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Compared with 2024, the increase amounts to an additional 2.2 …

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Economists predict a weak economic year for Switzerland

2026-03-19

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2026-03-19

The Swiss government’s expert group expects economic growth of 1% – down from 1.1% forecast in December, according to the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). This suggests the Swiss economy is likely to grow below average. The Swiss Economic Institute (KOF) at the federal technology institute ETH Zurich is also forecasting growth of 1%, …

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Europe’s night-train revival on ‘shaky ground’

2026-03-19

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2026-03-19

Taking a night train across Europe is romantic and climate-friendly, and demand is strong. Yet the much-touted revival of overnight lines is hampered by ageing rolling stock, patchy funding and overstretched infrastructure. Night trains combine nostalgia with climate-consciousness. A passenger who chooses to cross the continent in a sleeper car produces 28 times fewer emissions …

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What it takes for a referendum to be fair

2026-03-18

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Popular votes are held not only in democracies such as Switzerland, but also in semi-democratic and authoritarian countries. Can such referendums ever be fair?⁠ ⁠ Visit Swissinfo to read the full article. ⁠ ⁠ #switzerlandshorts #swiss #referendum #vote #democracy⁠ --- 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 international...

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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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