https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Switzerland in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The Swiss economy is projected to grow faster than anticipated this year despite the risk of rising energy costs due to the Iran war, the economy ministry said. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260917/switzerland-hikes-2026-growth-forecast-to-1-7-percent Thu, 17 Sep 2026 11:13:27 +0200 switzerland-hikes-2026-growth-forecast-to-1-7-percent As Geneva’s airport also serves neighbouring French communities, the value it provides stretches beyond the immediate Swiss regions. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260907/22000-jobs-just-how-important-is-geneva-airport-to-the-surrounding-region Mon, 07 Sep 2026 11:00:58 +0200 22000-jobs-just-how-important-is-geneva-airport-to-the-surrounding-region In landlocked Switzerland, the Rhine plays a strategic role in foreign trade and is a major driver of the country’s prosperity. But drought conditions this summer threaten shipping on the river. What then? https://www.thelocal.ch/20260811/drought-why-is-the-rhine-river-so-important-for-the-swiss-economy Tue, 11 Aug 2026 11:55:57 +0200 drought-why-is-the-rhine-river-so-important-for-the-swiss-economy Switzerland's economic growth surged in the second quarter according to initial estimates released Friday, shaking off higher energy costs thanks to its chemical and pharmaceutical industries. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260814/swiss-gdp-jumps-1-5-percent-in-second-quarter Fri, 14 Aug 2026 10:25:35 +0200 swiss-gdp-jumps-1-5-percent-in-second-quarter Human-caused climate change is "unequivocally" responsible for the intensity of a record-breaking heatwave scorching Europe, scientists said Friday, while experts consider the costs for an economy as productivity melts and growth becomes lethargic. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260626/climate-change-to-blame-as-heatwave-hits-europes-economies Fri, 26 Jun 2026 10:44:21 +0200 climate-change-to-blame-as-heatwave-hits-europes-economies To appease president Donald Trump, Switzerland has so far poured $27 billion – over 10 percent of its total commitment – into the US economy. But this may not be enough to satisfy Uncle Sam. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260610/swiss-companies-invest-27-billion-in-the-us-but-it-may-not-be-enough Wed, 10 Jun 2026 10:14:30 +0200 swiss-companies-invest-27-billion-in-the-us-but-it-may-not-be-enough Almost half of European small and medium companies struggle to find workers with the skills they need but recruitment outside the EU remains “limited” and “too difficult”, a recent Eurobarometer survey published by the European Commission had shown. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260603/how-companies-in-europe-are-struggling-to-recruit-workers-from-outside-the-eu Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:49:22 +0200 how-companies-in-europe-are-struggling-to-recruit-workers-from-outside-the-eu UBS said Friday it had secured a national banking licence in the United States, which should enable the Swiss banking giant to strengthen its position in the US market. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260321/swiss-bank-ubs-gets-us-boost-with-national-banking-licence Sat, 21 Mar 2026 16:29:45 +0100 swiss-bank-ubs-gets-us-boost-with-national-banking-licence Switzerland's financial market regulator said on Friday that a bank singled out by the US Treasury for dealings with "illicit actors" linked to Russia and Iran had been liquidated. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260228/switzerland-shuts-bank-accused-of-iran-russia-ties Sat, 28 Feb 2026 15:39:43 +0100 switzerland-shuts-bank-accused-of-iran-russia-ties Switzerland's economy returned to growth at the end of last year, mainly thanks to its services sector after steep US tariffs stalled exports and pulled down GDP in the third quarter. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260216/swiss-economy-rebounds-in-fourth-quarter-after-us-tariffs-hit Mon, 16 Feb 2026 10:28:59 +0100 swiss-economy-rebounds-in-fourth-quarter-after-us-tariffs-hit European leaders on Sunday hit back at US President Donald Trump's threat of tariffs over their opposition to his designs on Greenland, with far-right Italian leader Giorgia Meloni urging Washington against making a "mistake". https://www.thelocal.ch/20260118/european-leaders-denounce-trumps-tariff-threats-over-greenland Sun, 18 Jan 2026 09:46:34 +0100 european-leaders-denounce-trumps-tariff-threats-over-greenland Roche's chief executive called in an interview with Swiss media published Sunday for Switzerland to pay more for new drugs, to bring prices in line with those paid by Washington. https://www.thelocal.ch/20251221/roche-chief-urges-switzerland-to-pay-more-for-new-drugs-after-us-deal Sun, 21 Dec 2025 16:48:47 +0100 roche-chief-urges-switzerland-to-pay-more-for-new-drugs-after-us-deal The new lower-tariff agreement between Bern and Washington stipulates that Coop, Migros, and other Swiss supermarkets should sell much more US meat. But will they? https://www.thelocal.ch/20251119/will-migros-and-coop-be-forced-to-sell-american-meat-under-new-trade-deal Wed, 19 Nov 2025 12:25:24 +0100 will-migros-and-coop-be-forced-to-sell-american-meat-under-new-trade-deal Representatives from Switzerland and the US announced the framework for a new trade agreement between the two countries, but what's in it and is it a win for Switzerland? https://www.thelocal.ch/20251118/what-to-know-about-switzerlands-new-trade-deal-with-the-us Tue, 18 Nov 2025 15:29:21 +0100 what-to-know-about-switzerlands-new-trade-deal-with-the-us Swiss business leaders breathed a sigh of relief Friday after Washington and Bern announced an agreement to more than halve the steep 39-percent tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump. https://www.thelocal.ch/20251114/switzerland-and-us-reach-deal-on-trade-and-tariffs Fri, 14 Nov 2025 17:39:35 +0100 switzerland-and-us-reach-deal-on-trade-and-tariffs Switzerland is considered one of the richest countries in the world, yet the distribution of that wealth is increasingly unequal. https://www.thelocal.ch/20251114/revealed-how-switzerlands-huge-wealth-is-far-from-evenly-spread Fri, 14 Nov 2025 14:52:46 +0100 revealed-how-switzerlands-huge-wealth-is-far-from-evenly-spread The 39-percent trade tariffs that President Donald Trump had imposed on Switzerland in August could soon be slashed, US media reports. https://www.thelocal.ch/20251112/trump-says-us-ready-to-help-switzerland-on-steep-tariffs Wed, 12 Nov 2025 13:14:08 +0100 trump-says-us-ready-to-help-switzerland-on-steep-tariffs Due to the strong franc and the steep US tariffs, many Swiss executives expect local jobs to be relocated to foreign countries. https://www.thelocal.ch/20251023/swiss-companies-set-to-relocate-thousands-of-jobs-abroad-bosses-fear Thu, 23 Oct 2025 17:33:01 +0200 swiss-companies-set-to-relocate-thousands-of-jobs-abroad-bosses-fear Stiff US tariffs on Switzerland badly hurt the Alpine country's exports in the third quarter, official figures showed Tuesday, with Swiss watchmakers in particular suffering. https://www.thelocal.ch/20251021/steep-us-tariffs-hit-swiss-exports-hard-new-figures-reveal Tue, 21 Oct 2025 18:24:08 +0200 steep-us-tariffs-hit-swiss-exports-hard-new-figures-reveal Foreign residents in Switzerland have taken to social media and forums in recent weeks to express their dismay at how difficult it is to find a new job this autumn. Experts, however, suggest there are opportunities. https://www.thelocal.ch/20251015/challenging-times-has-it-become-harder-to-find-a-job-in-switzerland Wed, 15 Oct 2025 13:22:42 +0200 challenging-times-has-it-become-harder-to-find-a-job-in-switzerland