Category Archive: 3.) Swissinfo Business and Economy

Filter archive by: Show All Show only Articles Show only Videos

Trading platforms profit from pandemic chaos

2020-09-02

by

2020-09-02

While Covid-19 has been wreaking havoc on the economy, many banks and trading platforms have recorded bumper results. Profits were boosted by elevated trading activity, but future prospects are mixed depending on the type of financial player.

Read More »

Time travelling in Basel

2020-09-01

by

Why is the northern city of Basel described as Switzerland's cultural capital and how come the pharmaceutical industry started there? A new book called ‘Leaps in Time’ takes us on a journey down the centuries, introduces reformers, humanists, artists, plague doctors and the powerful tradesmen who ousted the aristocracy. From the first settlement at the time of the Celts, it grew into Switzerland’s third most populous city. It’s known for its...

Read More »

Swiss PostBus faces lawsuit in Liechtenstein

2020-09-01

by

2020-09-01

Liechtenstein transport companies are claiming CHF35 million ($38.7 million) in damages against Switzerland’s state-owned PostBus over alleged unfair business practices.

Read More »

Swiss economist says Covid-19 ‘winners’ should pay more tax

2020-08-31

by

2020-08-31

Companies that netted their best-ever earnings during the coronavirus crisis should be subject to extra tax, finds one of Switzerland’s top economists.

Read More »

Swiss Private Banks Brace for Coronavirus Impact

2020-08-29

by

2020-08-29

Swiss Private banks
The Swiss private banking sector saw a resurgence in fortunes last year but faces an uncertain future as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to play havoc with financial markets. Favourable market conditions in 2019 allowed the 84 banks surveyed by KPMG to grow client assets by 14%, according to a recently published report by the audit firm.

Read More »

How I built my own Swiss watch – in a day

2020-08-28

by

For fans of Swiss watches, the watchmaking world can sometimes seem like an impenetrable castle. The uninitiated rarely get the chance to observe or even touch delicate mechanical watch parts. Imagine assembling your own Swiss mechanical watch and taking it home with you at the end of the day. swissinfo.ch tried out the popular new concept run by Jura start-up Initium. heir start-up offers beginner watchmaking courses open to all ages. The firm,...

Read More »

New Swiss Rail Timetable Speeds up Cross-Border Trips

2020-08-28

by

2020-08-28

Swiss Rail
Next year the train connections from Switzerland to Germany and Italy will be faster. On Wednesday the Swiss Federal Railways unveiled the timetable for 2021. In addition to various inland tweaks, the new schedule brings swifter links from Zurich to Milan (3:17) and Munich (ca. 4hrs). From Zurich there will be ten direct trains to Milan; from Basel, five.

Read More »

Belgium Investigates Credit Suisse over hidden Bank Accounts

2020-08-27

by

2020-08-27

Credit Suisse
The investigation by federal prosecutors is at the information-gathering stage, looking for evidence of money laundering and whether the Swiss bank acted as an illegal financial intermediary, a spokesman for the prosecutors said on Monday. However, no formal charges have been brought.

Read More »

First Skydive from a Solar Electric Plane Accomplished in Switzerland

2020-08-26

by

2020-08-26

First Skydive from a Solar Electric Plane
The world’s first skydive off the solar-powered electric plane SolarStratos has been completed successfully in western Switzerland. SolarStratos took off from the aerodrome in Payerne at 7:40am on Tuesday with two people on board: test pilot Miguel Iturmendi and co-pilot Raphaël Domjan.

Read More »

Why is Switzerland so expensive?

2020-08-25

by

2020-08-25

Why is Switzerland so expensive
You might have experienced it first-hand, or even just heard the legendary tales: Switzerland is eye-wateringly pricey. But do the people earning a Swiss wage see these sky-high costs the same way? Get this question and many others answered in this episode of ‘Switzerland Explained’ by SWI swissinfo.ch.

Read More »

Shoppers in Basel must wear face masks to reduce Covid-19 risks

2020-08-23

by

2020-08-23

Basel City has become the first German-speaking canton to require customers to wear face masks in shops to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

Read More »

How do you separate the good companies from the bad apples?

2020-08-22

by

2020-08-22

Our regular analysis of what the biggest global companies in Switzerland are up to. This week: dubious gold origins, luxury watch straps, and vaccine deals. Gold refineries are under scrutiny for sourcing gold from Dubai traders with questionable ties to illegal mines in Africa. But is it fair to lump all refineries into one basket of bad apples?

Read More »

Why is Switzerland one of the most expensive countries?

2020-08-21

by

Everybody seems to agree, Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries in the world, but why is that? The anecdotal evidence is there, and in the press, the big Swiss cities are constantly ranked among the most expensive cities in the world. Zurich and Geneva regularly make it into the top ten. And the Swiss are very much aware of these price differences. A study published at the beginning of 2020 concluded that Swiss businesses and...

Read More »

Neo-banks challenging Swiss financial sector

2020-08-20

by

2020-08-20

New digital banks are popping up in Switzerland without a single branch or counter.  One of them, Zurich-based Neon, is staking its success on doing more with less and has attracted 30,000 customers.

Read More »

How I built my own Swiss watch – in a day

2020-08-19

by

2020-08-19

Imagine assembling your own Swiss mechanical watch and taking it home with you at the end of the day. swissinfo.ch tried out the popular new concept run by Jura start-up Initium.

Read More »

Families face large differences in tax rates across Switzerland

2020-08-18

by

2020-08-18

A comparison of tax rates across different cantons and cities found that Zug – home to many multinational companies – offers the most attractive tax regime for families.

Read More »

Pressure mounts on Swiss refinery Valcambi over questionable gold origins

2020-08-17

by

2020-08-17

Industry associations are calling on Switzerland’s largest gold refinery to clarify the origins of its gold purchased from Dubai traders.

Read More »

Swiss luxury watch retailer Bucherer to shed jobs

2020-08-16

by

2020-08-16

The leading Swiss luxury watch and jewellery company Bucherer has announced it plans to slash 370 of its 2,400 jobs worldwide due to the coronavirus crisis hitting tourism.

Read More »

Free trade deals save Switzerland billions, study finds

2020-08-15

by

2020-08-15

Swiss consumers and importers saved CHF2.5 billion ($2.7 billion) in 2018 thanks to lower customs duties as part of free trade agreements, a study has revealed.

Read More »

Banks braced as pandemic poses biggest test since financial crisis

2020-08-14

by

2020-08-14

During the depths of the coronavirus crisis in Europe in late March, Sergio Ermotti remembers sitting in his home study in Lugano, reflecting on the latest financial meltdown to engulf his career as a banker.

Read More »