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A recent report classifies 570,000 people in Switzerland as poor. This number represents 7% of the population, and relates to 2015. In 2014, the same percentage was 6.6%. © Lisavan | Dreamstime.com The report, which looks only at income, defines as poor a single person with income less than CHF 2,239 per month or a family of four with income below CHF 3,984 per month. Data from the survey of 7,500 households, around 17,000 people, show large differences among different groups. People over 65...

20 Minutes. A pilot bio-monitoring project in Switzerland will measure traces of pollutants and micronutrient and endocrine disruptors in organic samples. According to 20 Minutes, the impact of certain chemical products worries the authorities. © Gyuszko | Dreamstime.com The pilot project was launched last week by the executive branch of Switzerland’s government, known as the Federal Council. Depending on the results, a nationwide project could be considered. Tests will be conducted by...

History of Gold - How the gold industry has changed over 50 years Thomson Reuters GFMS have compiled an interesting high level history of the gold industry in the last fifty years. Topics covered and interesting historical facts to note include: - Gold market size- Gold mine production "peaked in 2015"- South African production collapse from 1,000 tonnes- South African gold was flown to London and Zurich and an airliner had its own designated...

Six Swiss regions make the top ten most prosperous regions of Europe measured in terms of GDP per person, according to an analysis by the University of Lausanne. Zurich – © Europhotos | Dreamstime.com The six Swiss regions are Zurich (3rd), Ticino (4th), Basel (5th), the region around Zug (6th), Bern-Solothurn (7th) and Suisse romande, Switzerland French-speaking region (8th). The only regions ranked higher were Luxembourg (2nd) and the City of London (1st). The ranking is based on 2015...

Asian stocks rose lifted by commodity names; European equities trade mostly lower but with little in the way of conviction or firm direction while the Italian banking index is at the highest level in a year following domestic earnings; S&P index futures are modestly in the red after the cash market closed at a record high Wednesday and investors prepared for earnings from retailers; we expect the now general vol selling program to promptly lift the S&P into new all time highs minutes...

20 Minutes. While a recent job advertisement placed in a Swiss newspaper is not specific on gender, it makes it very clear that it doesn’t want anyone over the age of 50, or under the age of 25. The advertisement was placed by an organisation called Bureau des Métiers in Sion. The offending advert is also on the company’s website and can be viewed here. © Joserpizarro | Dreamstime.com According to 20 Minutes, who published the story, the practice is not illegal. Legal or not, some local...

20 Minutes. While a recent job advertisement placed in a Swiss newspaper is not specific on gender, it makes it very clear that it doesn’t want anyone over the age of 50, or under the age of 25. The advertisement was placed by an organisation called Bureau des Métiers in Sion. The offending advert is also on the company’s website and can be viewed here. © Joserpizarro | Dreamstime.com According to 20 Minutes, who published the story, the practice is not illegal. Legal or not, some local...

The Swiss National Bank is the process of issuing new bank notes. A new 50 franc note hit the streets last year. Now it is the new 20 franc note’s turn. Officially launched today, it will enter circulation on 17 May 2017. A photograph of the note was posted on Facebook by Bilan: The new red note, designed around the theme of light, has a few secrets. It can be be washed without losing any of its colour, so you don’t need to worry about leaving it in your pocket. Apparently it can even...

The Swiss National Bank is the process of issuing new bank notes. A new 50 franc note hit the streets last year. Now it is the new 20 franc note’s turn. Officially launched today, it will enter circulation on 17 May 2017. A photograph of the note was posted on Facebook by Bilan: The new red note, designed around the theme of light, has a few secrets. It can be be washed without losing any of its colour, so you don’t need to worry about leaving it in your pocket. Apparently it can even...

Figures published on 9 May 2017 by SECO, the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, show a fall in the number of unemployed in Switzerland. © 72soul | Dreamstime.com At the end of April 2017, there were 146,330 people registered as unemployed, 5,950 fewer than the month before, reducing the rate of unemployment from 3.4% to 3.3%. Unemployment across the French and Italian speaking regions averaged 4.3%, materially higher than in German speaking Switzerland where the rate was 2.9%. The...