Tag Archives: Personal finance

In 2019, the poverty line in Switzerland was CHF 27,348 (US$ 30,500) for a single person and CHF 47,712 (US$ 53,200) for a couple with two young children. The figures are calculated by SKOS based on the cost of living in Switzerland. People with incomes below these levels in Switzerland are considered to by living in poverty. © Sam Wordley | Dreamstime.comIn 2019, 8.7% of Switzerland’s population was living on less that these amounts, up 0.8 percentage points from 7.9% in 2018. Those...

Statistics published at the end of January 2021 show a fall in the percentage of the population included in the definition of middle class in Switzerland. © Rawpixelimages | Dreamstime.comMiddle class includes everyone belonging to a household with a gross income of between 70% and 150% of the median, according to a definition by Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office. In 2018, single-person households with gross monthly incomes of between CHF 4,094 and CHF 8,773 and families of two...

Statistics published at the end of January 2021 show a fall in the percentage of the population included in the definition of middle class in Switzerland. © Rawpixelimages | Dreamstime.com Middle class includes everyone belonging to a household with a gross income of between 70% and 150% of the median, according to a definition by Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office. In 2018, single-person households with gross monthly incomes of between CHF 4,094 and CHF 8,773...

On 1 July 2019, the EU withdrew stock market equivalence for equity securities listed on the Swiss stock exchange. Since then it has not been possible to trade Swiss-listed shares in the EU. © Liskonogaleksey | Dreamstime.comThe loss of EU financial market equivalence occurred while Switzerland was haggling with Brussels over a framework agreement aimed at replacing Switzerland’s patchwork of bilateral agreements with the EU, which cover matter such as trade and migration. On 1 July...

Switzerland’s Federal Department of Finance (FDF) and the Swiss National Bank (SNB), Switzerland’s central bank, have signed a new agreement on how SNB profits can be distributed. Source: Swiss National BankThe new agreement, which applies until 2025, allows for the SNB to make an annual payment of up to CHF 6 billion to the government, should central bank finances permit. Previously, the maximum payment was CHF 4 billion. The CHF 6 billion payment is made up of a base amount of CHF 2...

During 2020, average annual inflation was –0.7%, according to Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO). © Dmitri Maruta | Dreamstime.comIn December 2020, Switzerland’s consumer price index (CPI) fell by 0.1% compared with November 2020. Compared to December 2019, prices in December 2020 were 0.8% lower. Annual inflation reached -0.7% across the full year. The main drivers of a falling CPI were lower travel prices and fuel costs. The price declines on these items were more...

Today, figures on Swiss unemployment at the end of 2020 were published. © Tero Vesalainen | Dreamstime.comAt the end of December 2020, there were 163,545 people registered as unemployed in Switzerland, a figure 39.5% higher than at the end of 2019. At 31 December 2020, the number of job seekers was 260,318, a number 34.9% above the same figure at the end of 2019. The last time the number of job seekers was close to this high in Switzerland was at the end of February 1997, when it...

© Bogdan Lazar | Dreamstime.com The pandemic had a significant impact on Swiss real estate prices in 2020, according to industry experts. Contrary to initial fears that property prices would fall, prices have risen over the period. Over the year, the offer prices of stand alone houses rose by 5.6% while apartment prices jumped by 5.5% across Switzerland as a whole, according to the Swiss Real Estate Offer Index compiled by ImmoScout24. 2020 has shown once more that...

The pandemic had a significant impact on Swiss real estate prices in 2020, according to industry experts. © Bogdan Lazar | Dreamstime.comContrary to initial fears that property prices would fall, prices have risen over the period. Over the year, the offer prices of stand alone houses rose by 5.6% while apartment prices jumped by 5.5% across Switzerland as a whole, according to the Swiss Real Estate Offer Index compiled by ImmoScout24. 2020 has shown once more that safe assets rise in...

18% of Swiss adults are convinced their financial situation will worsen in 2021, according to a survey. © Photosbypanda | Dreamstime.comThis percentage is markedly higher than at the end of 2019 when the same figure was 13%. The rise in pessimism is largely linked to job insecurity. 68% are concerned they will face full or partial unemployment, while the self-employed worry they will get less business. In addition, 46% fear continued rises in health insurance premiums. More...