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Swiss inch towards renminbi hub dream

This content was published on Jan 13, 2014 As global renminbi (RMB) transactions gather pace, a tantalising vision has emerged of a new international reserve currency competing with the dollar, euro and British pound. Financial centres are jostling to enjoy the prestige and profits of becoming RMB conduits. In December 2012, the Swiss government officially announced its intention of becoming a renminbi hub, joining…

Wolf killer bounty shows divisions over conservation

This content was published on Jan 11, 2014 Wolves had not been seen in Switzerland for around 120 years until small numbers started to reappear in the mid-1990s. They are now a strictly protected species under the Bern Convention, an international agreement on wildlife conservation. The animals attract a great deal of attention in the media when they are spotted or suspected of…

Turnout could decide immigration vote

This content was published on Jan 10, 2014 Supporters of the initiative by the rightwing Swiss People’s Party lagged 18 percentage points behind in an opinion poll published by the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation on Friday. They held a 37% minority share six weeks ahead of the vote on February 9. (See graphic) However, Claude Longchamp, head of the leading GfS Bern polling and…

Jobless rate climbs slightly

This content was published on Jan 10, 2014 The end-of-year increase is a recurring phenomenon, mainly due to seasonal factors, according to Boris Zürcher, head of the labour directorate at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). The construction sector, which shuts down for part of the winter, is to a large extent responsible for the hike. On average, over 136,000 people drew…

Appenzeller cheese’s survival strategy

This content was published on Jan 10, 2014

In a crowded market, cheesemakers return to basics

This content was published on Jan 10, 2014 In a recent edition of the Swiss agricultural newspaper Der Landfreund, marketing experts predicted the disappearance of cheeses like Emmentaler, Tilsiter and Sbrinz from foreign markets if they don’t set themselves apart from the competition and turn around negative export trends. Following the 2008 economic crisis, customers in Switzerland’s largest foreign markets – Germany, France…

Swatch reports record profits in 2013

This content was published on Jan 10, 2014 The Swiss watchmaker, which is the largest in the world, gained market share in 2013 and has reported strong sales in the early days of 2014. Overall, watch exports from Switzerland to the large Chinese market declined in 2013 after China’s government cracked down on luxury items given as illegitimate gifts. However, Swatch’s middle-market brands…

Outlook continues to improve for retailers

This content was published on Jan 8, 2014 Among the 218 decision leaders in the sector and its suppliers questioned for the report, nearly three in four said they expected higher sales, while more than half are counting on higher earnings. The difference is due to the fact that few believe that pressure on margins will let up. The number of retailers expecting…

Number of ‘baby-hatches’ grows despite controversy

This content was published on Jan 7, 2014 Baby-hatches (also known as ‘baby-boxes’ or ‘baby-windows’) are something of a legal grey area, and they have aroused criticism on ethical, medical and social grounds. Yet at the moment they seem to be on the increase in Switzerland. Up until June 2012 there was just one baby-hatch in the whole country, at Einsiedeln hospital in…

Cricket campaigns for biodiversity

This content was published on Jan 6, 2014 Pro Natura also describes its choice more flatteringly as the “first violin in the meadow orchestra”: it says most people will only know it by the loud chirp of the males in summer meadows, which can be up to 100 decibels and can be heard as far as 100 metres away. The organisation explains that…

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Swiss inch towards renminbi hub dream

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Wolf killer bounty shows divisions over conservation

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Turnout could decide immigration vote

More

Jobless rate climbs slightly

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Appenzeller cheese’s survival strategy

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In a crowded market, cheesemakers return to basics

More

Swatch reports record profits in 2013

More

Outlook continues to improve for retailers

More

Number of ‘baby-hatches’ grows despite controversy

More

Cricket campaigns for biodiversity

Popular Stories

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