The Swiss voice in the world since 1935
Top stories
Stay in touch with Switzerland

More Swiss bankruptcies in 2018 than ever before

Geneva
Canton Geneva recorded higher than normal bankruptcies and losses. Keystone

Last year saw a record number of bankruptcy procedures opened in Switzerland, with almost 14,000 cases involving bust businesses and individuals.

The record numbers, released on Thursday by the Federal Statistical Office, mark a 5.4% increase on 2017 and translate to overall financial losses of some CHF2 billion ($2 billion).

Every canton in the country saw a rise in cases except Zurich (24 fewer), the stats office said. Francophone regions in the south-east were particularly affected: notably Neuchâtel (15.7%), Geneva (16.5%), and Jura (25.5%).

Meanwhile, a discrepancy at national level was flagged between the 5.4% rise in the number of cases and the much larger 20% rise in the total financial cost of these cases. Here canton Geneva was a substantial culprit, contributing CHF373 million more losses than the previous year.

The stats office also clarified that these figures did not take into consideration bankruptcy procedures relating to management shortcomings – such cases in fact slightly fell last year.

These latest bankruptcy figures should not be conflated with a struggling economy, however: although growth in Switzerland remained steady rather than spectacular in 2018, unemployment numbers sank to a 10-year low.

+ A good year for the Swiss economy in 2018

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

News

The start of the holiday season means long traffic jams on the Gotthard

More

Gotthard traffic queue hits 11km at start of holiday season

This content was published on The start of the summer holidays saw a long traffic jam in front of the Gotthard tunnel on Saturday. Traffic jams between Erstfeld and Göschenen in canton Uri were up to 11 kilometres long early in the morning.

Read more: Gotthard traffic queue hits 11km at start of holiday season
Study: Rhine could become up to 4.2 degrees warmer by 2100

More

Rhine could warm by 4°C by 2100, scientists warn

This content was published on The water temperature of the Rhine River could rise by up to 4.2° degrees Celsius by the end of the century due to the warming planet, scientists warn.

Read more: Rhine could warm by 4°C by 2100, scientists warn
'Leopard 1 A5' combat tanks in Germany.

More

Switzerland eyes joining EU rearmament programme

This content was published on The Federal Council wants to explore the possibilities of joining the European Union’s €800-billion rearmament programme without compromising Swiss neutrality.

Read more: Switzerland eyes joining EU rearmament programme
Premiere for Swiss Air Force on French National Day

More

Premiere for Swiss Air Force on French National Day

This content was published on On July 14, the Swiss Air Force will take part in the traditional air parade in Paris to mark the French bank holidays with an F/A-18 fighter jet. This is a first for Switzerland.

Read more: Premiere for Swiss Air Force on French National Day

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR