Tag Archives: Business

The Swiss government has given the green light to begin the construction of a temporary reserve power plant due to be operational from February next year. The executive body signed off on two decisions on Friday to speed up the approval of planning regulations for the eight-turbine plant in Birr, in the north of the country. The government had already signed a contract with the GE Gas Power company earlier this month for the CHF470 million ($480 million)...

The world’s richest people saw their wealth expand last year as stock markets and real estate gained in value, according to Swiss bank Credit Suisse. When not covering fintech, cryptocurrencies, blockchain, banks and trade, swissinfo.ch’s business correspondent can be found playing cricket on various grounds in Switzerland – including the frozen lake of St Moritz. More from this author | English DepartmentMatthew Allen Total global wealth increased by...

Despite being one of the world’s richest countries, Switzerland also faces the threat of an energy shortage in the coming months. The authorities are scrambling to prepare. SWI swissinfo.ch has gathered answers to some of the most pressing questions on electricity supply, Switzerland’s dependence on Russian gas, and measures being taken to get the country through the winter. Is Switzerland self-sufficient in meeting its energy needs? No. Domestic electricity...

Switzerland’s House of Representatives has approved the purchase of new F-35 fighter jets from the United States. The decision clears the path for Bern to sign the purchase contract, even though an initiative to prevent the deal has not been voted on by Swiss voters. Keystone-SDA news agency reported on Thursday that the majority was convinced the contract should be signed by the bid closing date: March 30, 2023. The jet purchase is part of the Army’s 2022 budget,...

Cutting down on fees for the grid connection could save consumers around CHF350 million ($365 million), according to Meierhans. © Keystone / Salvatore Di Nolfi By reducing grid connection fees and municipal duties, the federal government could help to keep electricity bills down, Stefan Meierhans told Le Matin Dimanche newspaper. Meierhans said it is possible for the government to change the framework conditions that would allow a lowering of fees for using the grid....

swissinfo.ch/Delali Adogla-Bessa As the world’s second-largest cocoa producer continues to lose swathes of farmland to illegal gold mining, Switzerland’s chocolate makers are waking up to the threat to their raw material supply. SWI swissinfo.ch special series: An African perspective on cocoa Native to Central and South America, cocoa cultivation in West Africa was first recorded in 1868. The archives of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew refer to a few cocoa trees...

Many Swiss dream of owning a single-family home in the countryside and passing it on to their children. For most, this dream is increasingly unrealistic. Journalist and deputy head of the swissinfo.ch editorial group for German, French and Italian. Earlier, worked for Teletext and Switzerland’s French-language national broadcaster. More from this author | French DepartmentSamuel Jaberg In 2015, before starting a family, Ophélie* and her partner Laurent*...

© Keystone / Gaetan Bally Switzerland has a social security network that covers risks in many areas – work, health, family and old age. The Swiss social security system cannot be easily compared with that found in other countries, as it comprises a variety of insurance schemes with very different mechanisms. Its funding is characterised by a relatively low use of tax revenues, a focus on individual pension plans, and the influence of private institutions....

Consumer spending continued to rise in the spring, but may dampen as the price of goods picks up. © Keystone / Christian Beutler Switzerland’s economic output slowed to 0.3% between April and the end of June, compared to the first quarter of the year. The manufacturing, construction, trade and financial services sectors all showed signs of weakening in the face of energy shortages and rising inflation. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) reported a...

The BitMEX cryptocurrency exchange wants to reincorporate from its present location in the Seychelles. Keystone Troubled cryptocurrency exchange BitMEX is charting its revival in Switzerland after the platform and its three co-founders were prosecuted in the United States. When not covering fintech, cryptocurrencies, blockchain, banks and trade, swissinfo.ch’s business correspondent can be found playing cricket on various grounds in Switzerland – including the...