Cluster: Archive

Rebif sales drive record Serono profit

This content was published on Feb 2, 2004 Net income was up 22 per cent on the previous year, boosted by sales of its multiple sclerosis drug, Rebif, and a weak dollar. Turnover rose by almost a third, up to $2.02 billion. “2003 has been a record year for Serono,” said the company’s chief executive, Ernesto Bertarelli. Serono forecast 2004 earnings growth of…

Government role in medicine goes under the knife

This content was published on Feb 2, 2004 The Rectors’ Conference of Swiss Universities has put forward a series of proposals in a bid to reform the medical sector and attract more students to the discipline. The panel said its main focus was to disentangle the responsibilities for medical training, which are currently shared by the government and universities. The document, dubbed “University…

Swiss rank among the world’s leading investors

This content was published on Feb 2, 2004 A new study shows Switzerland made net overseas investments of almost $180 billion (SFr227 billion) in 2002, putting it behind only Britain, Japan and France. Measured as a percentage of its GDP, Switzerland’s foreign investments put it only behind Hong Kong as the world’s leading investor abroad. The country’s importance as a net foreign investor…

Young drinkers unimpressed by alcopops tax

This content was published on Feb 2, 2004 But it is not yet clear whether the tax will work, as many young drinkers say they will continue to buy the beverages despite the price hike. Last year, the Swiss parliament decided to quadruple the current tax on a bottle of alcopop – a mixture of spirits with soft drinks or fruit juices –…

“Ultra high-tech” investor back Swiss quantum firm

This content was published on Feb 2, 2004 The financing gives the company capital to develop its new quantum cryptography product and two new board members, both from i2i. Founded in 2002, the company is commercialising a breakthrough in quantum physics to develop secure communications systems based on quantum cryptography. One of its first trial customers is a Geneva bank, using the system…

Demonstrators take noise protest to the skies

This content was published on Jan 31, 2004 They included residents who live beneath the flight path that has been operational since the end of October to reduce noise pollution over southern Germany. Blowing whistles, wearing yellow caps and carrying balloons of the same colour, the marchers made their way from Balsberg to the airport. Joining them were representatives of public authorities from…

Ibex tread warily in avalanche country

This content was published on Jan 30, 2004 New research has shown that these wild mountain goats are rarely caught in killer snow and rock slides despite wintering in danger zones. Scientists from the Davos-based Swiss Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) have been tracking a small group of ibexes near Zweisimmen in the Bernese Oberland for over two years. The researchers…

Swiss debtors replace model bill payers

This content was published on Jan 30, 2004 The phenomenon has proved catastrophic for many companies and costs the Swiss economy billions of francs. Until the end of the 1980s, the Swiss were highly regarded for their traditional promptness in settling bills. Now, however, they are in the lower section of the European table drawn up by Intrum Justitia, a company specialized in…

No way out of the welfare trap?

This content was published on Jan 30, 2004 In an interview with swissinfo, the president of the Swiss Conference for Social Welfare, Walter Schmid, agrees that reform is needed. The number of people claiming some sort of benefit rose ten per cent in 2003 to 300,000, or almost five per cent of the population. Schmid agrees that the welfare system needs to adapt…

Adecco breaks silence on accounting woes

This content was published on Jan 30, 2004 The company, which reported the irregularities earlier this month, also confirmed that Jérôme Caille would stay on as chief executive. “Instances of local irregularities and misappropriations – mainly at branch-level – have been identified in certain countries,” Adecco said in a statement on Friday. The firm added that these accounting issues were not a major…

Cluster: Archive

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Cluster: Archive

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Rebif sales drive record Serono profit

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Government role in medicine goes under the knife

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Swiss rank among the world’s leading investors

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Young drinkers unimpressed by alcopops tax

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“Ultra high-tech” investor back Swiss quantum firm

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Demonstrators take noise protest to the skies

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Ibex tread warily in avalanche country

More

Swiss debtors replace model bill payers

More

No way out of the welfare trap?

More

Adecco breaks silence on accounting woes

Popular Stories

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