20 Minutes. According to 20 Minutes, the author of the shooting in an islamic prayer centre in Zurich, is a Swiss citizen aged 24 with Ghanaian roots. The man has also been implicated in the death of a Swiss citizen who was found dead in a Zurich playground. According to the police, neither the shooting […]
Swiss watch exports poised for worst year since 1984: chart
Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. The number of watches Switzerland exports is on track to reach the lowest level since 1984, when digital timepieces were in vogue and Swatch Group AG had just been formed in reaction to low-cost competition. Three decades later, difficult times are back: 11-month data is due Tuesday after the […]
Swiss to avoid EU clash as immigration bill passes final hurdle
Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. After three years of uncertainty, Switzerland may just have solved its immigration dispute with the European Union. Lawmakers in Bern on Friday passed a bill designed to curb EU immigration by giving locals a head start on filling job vacancies. By supporting the measure — which sidesteps quotas — […]
Zurich mosque shooting suspect dead, according to police
The Zurich mosque shooting suspect has been found dead according to Zurich police. A body found in the vicinity of the mosque is believed by local police to be that of the individual suspected of injuring three people at the Zurich Islamic Centre located at Eisgasse 6, not far from Zurich’s main train station. According to Bloomberg, police […]
Someone found 50,000 francs outside a train station and handed it in to the police
24 Heures. Last week someone passing through Basel train station found an envelope when entering the station. To her surprise it contained 50,000 francs. The woman who found the cash was a 22 year old from France. She went to the police station last Wednesday after finding the envelope on Tuesday. According to Blick, The […]
Coop to launch insect meatballs and burgers
Switzerland’s federal government recently announced plans to authorise the commercialisation of insects and worms as domestic food products. The supermarket Coop has applied for authorisation under the new rules, and plans to launch a new range of insect-based products. High in protein, insects come with a low carbon footprint and resource requirement. The federal office […]
Swiss MPs want cyclists to systematically lose driving licenses for rule breaking
20 Minutes. Hans-Peter Portman, a parliamentarian from Zurich, wants cyclists who break the road rules to suffer the same penalties as drivers. Last week, he, along with 72 other members, signed a parliamentary motion to have the sanctions stiffened for errant cyclists. According to Blick, the most common transgressions are crossing white lines, running red lights, weaving […]
December rally continues this week for SMI
16 December 2016 – Swiss and global market roundup. Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. 2016’s December rally continued this week as Swiss and European equities outperformed global stocks. The US dollar continued to surge after the Federal Reserve increased interest rates for only the second time in a decade on Wednesday. Fed Head Janet Yellen […]
Switzerland’s costliest cantons for tax, housing, health, commuting, and childcare
This week the bank Credit Suisse published its cantonal cost of living report. Its ranking considers a typical household’s biggest expenses: tax, housing, commuting, basic health insurance and childcare. It takes income and deducts all of these costs to arrive at a measure of disposable income. In a simplified world it might be expected that […]
No increase in Swiss cigarette tax likely in 2017
20 Minutes. Switzerland’s parliament voted 117 to 60 to reject the Federal Council’s plan to increase the tax on a packet of cigarettes in 2017. The Council of States, Switzerland’s upper house, will give its verdict next. From 2005 to 2015, the price of a packet of the most widely sold cigarettes has risen from […]
