Swiss watch exports grew by 6.3% in 2018, breaking the CHF21 billion ($21.2 billion) mark. This increase, largely due to Asian markets, is set to continue this year despite uncertainty surrounding the Chinese economy.

Swiss watchmakers are cautiously optimistic despite global political and economic uncertainty – Click to enlarge
Exports to Hong Kong shot up by 19.1% (to CHF3 billion francs) and to China by 11.7% (to CHF1.7 billion). Swiss watchmakers enjoyed vigorous demand from East Asia, which resulted in the second-best annual result ever, according to figures published on Tuesday by the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industryexternal link (FH).
Add to that purchases by tourists, and certain experts reckon that

Interior Minister Alain Berset was more successful at convincing Swiss abroad of his reforms than those at home
(Keystone) – Click to enlarge
Unlike their compatriots in Switzerland, Swiss voters who live abroad came out massively in favour of a wide-ranging overhaul of Switzerland’s old-age pension scheme.
Eleven of Switzerland’s 26 cantons count the votes of Swiss expats separately. An analysis of Sunday’s results shows that in nine of these cantons more than 70% of Swiss abroad backed the “Old Age Security 2020” package, which aimed to guarantee the future financing of pensions.
In total, 52.7% of all Swiss voters rejected the reforms, which had been backed by the cabinet and most parliamentarians.
Among the