Every year the Swiss federal department of finance calculates the percentage of the tax base each canton will collect in tax in the coming year. Calculations for 2016 put Geneva in the lead with a tax burden of 34.2%, well above the Swiss average of 25.5%. The canton of Schwyz has the lowest percentage of 10.5%, sitting […]
Whizz through Lausanne at street level
Lausanne-based visual artist Sylvain Botter created this fast-paced two minute time lapsed montage of Lausanne in Switzerland. If you don’t know the city this video gives a great feel for what it’s like by taking you down into the city and through the streets. Buckle up. It’s fast. For more stories like this on Switzerland follow […]
ECB QE boost has opposite effect
Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. The European Central Bank unveiled a range of measures to tackle too-low inflation, from a cut in the floor for interest rates to an expansion of its bond-buying program by at least 360 billion euros ($390 billion). The Frankfurt-based ECB will extend quantitative easing by six months until at […]
Could Swiss banks start charging negative interest?
Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. Could Swiss banks start charging retail depositors negative interest? One already has. More might follow. In mid January 2015 the Swiss National Bank (SNB) started charging negative interest on certain deposits placed with it in an attempt to make holding Swiss francs less attractive. After abruptly abandoned its currency […]
Neuchatel bans nativity scene from town’s Christmas tree
Le Matin. Carved statues of Mary, Joseph and Jesus have been removed from under Neuchâtel’s town Christmas tree because the town doesn’t want to be associated with religious symbols. “The town’s Christmas tree shouldn’t be associated with religious symbols. It’s everyone’s tree, all citizens, non-religious and religious” said commune councillor Olivier Arni to archinfo.ch. The […]
Swiss economy unexpectedly stagnated in 3rd quarter
Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. Swiss economic growth unexpectedly stalled in the third quarter, with momentum held back by weak performance in the energy, construction and financial sector. Output was unchanged in the three months through September, after increasing of 0.2 percent in the prior period, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs in Bern […]
Median Swiss salary up and well ahead of the US and UK
Switzerland’s median gross salary rose in the two years to 2014. 50% of salary earners earn less than the median while 50% earn more. In addition, the gap between the top 10% of earners and the bottom 10% shrunk. The Swiss median salary climbed to CHF 6,189 per month. This represents CHF 74,268 annually and […]
Switzerland turns away hundreds of Afghan refugees
Tribune de Genève. Around 1,800 refugees have been intercepted trying to cross into Switzerland over the last four weeks, and almost a quarter have been sent back to Germany, which has a policy of favouring Syrians. Swiss border guards have stopped around 1,800 refugees along Switzerland’s northern border over the last four weeks. 444 have been […]
Swiss post to stop selling sweets
Le Matin. After much criticism Swiss Post will stop selling sweets in post offices. It will continue to sell products such as books and stationary, which are related to its other services. The sale of third party products generates around CHF 500 million for the company annually. After several vocal complaints the issue was taken […]
Fly like a bird over Lausanne and beyond
Lausanne-based Brosky Media created this stunning three minute video of Vaud’s capital city, Lausanne. Watching this it is easy to imagine why Lord Byron, who lived there from 1788 to 1824, James Mason, who lived there from 1963 to 1984, and Coco Chanel, who lived there from 1945 to 1971, all chose the city. Some […]
