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State visit may highlight labour-market row

This content was published on Jun 17, 2005 Samuel Schmid’s two-day visit follows a trip to Switzerland in 2002 by his counterpart from the Baltic state, Vaira Vike-Freiberga. Schmid, who is accompanied by a business delegation, will also meet Latvian Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis for talks expected to concentrate on bilateral relations. There is speculation that the talks could be overshadowed by the…

What makes economists different?

This content was published on Jun 17, 2005 But why is there such a gulf between the political views of most professional economists and those of so-called “normal people”? St Gallen University professor Gebhard Kirchgässner, himself one of the country’s best known practitioners of the “dismal science”, believes he may have found the answer. One factor may simply be the way that formal…

Mobile software firm moves to market

This content was published on Jun 17, 2005 Esmertec AG, which is based in Dubendorf (near Zurich) and develops software applications, has announced that it will issue five million new shares on the Swiss stock exchange (SWX) on June 30. The planned flotation follows the successful SWX listing of Geneva-based digital TV hardware manufacturer Advanced Digital Broadcasting (ADB). Other Swiss companies that went…

Parliamentary session marked by budget cuts

This content was published on Jun 17, 2005 The three-week sitting was dominated mainly by moves to cut federal spending. For the centre-right parties, who had mostly supported the savings programmes, the results were positive. Both Doris Leuthard, the president of the Christian Democrats, and Radical Party leader Felix Gutzwiller said they were satisfied with the latest round of public-spending cuts. But Hans-Jürg…

National bank holds interest rates steady

This content was published on Jun 16, 2005 Chairman Jean-Pierre Roth said the SNB was also revising down its forecast for 2005 economic growth, from 1.5 per cent in March to just one per cent – a clear signal that a recovery is not yet in sight. Thursday’s announcements come shortly after the Swiss stock market reached a three-year high. Following its regular…

Banks record best result in four years

This content was published on Jun 16, 2005 For the first time since 2001, the banks also increased their staffing levels, according to the Swiss National Bank (SNB). In 2004 the banks increased total annual profit by SFr2.7 billion, the SNB said in its annual statistical yearbook. Of the 338 banks covered, 316 reported a profit and 22 a loss – total losses…

A close-up look at Einstein’s genius

This content was published on Jun 15, 2005 It is being held to mark the fact that it was exactly 100 years ago that the scientist came up with some of his most famous theories while living and working in the city. In 1905 Einstein published a series of groundbreaking papers that changed the way the universe was considered. Yet it wasn’t within…

House moots lifting ban on embryo screening

This content was published on Jun 15, 2005 The debate comes just weeks after it was revealed that a so-called “medicine baby”, conceived through in-vitro fertilisation in Belgium, had been born to a Swiss couple. At present Swiss law bans almost all forms of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). It also outlaws the practice of selecting embryos so that the resulting offspring can provide…

House votes to lift ban on embryo screening

This content was published on Jun 15, 2005 Thursday’s vote comes just weeks after it was revealed that a so-called “medicine baby”, conceived through in-vitro fertilisation in Belgium, had been born to a Swiss couple. Parliamentarians voted by 92 to 63 to allow pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) under strict conditions. The cabinet will now have to draw up new legislation to be submitted…

Parliament gives go-ahead to budget cuts

This content was published on Jun 15, 2005 The House of Representatives on Wednesday ironed out its last differences with the Senate, paving the way for the savings package to be implemented. The government’s savings target was narrowly missed. It wanted to save SFr4.904 billion but parliament agreed on SFr4.839 – SFr65 million less. Most of the cutbacks will be in social welfare,…

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State visit may highlight labour-market row

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What makes economists different?

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Mobile software firm moves to market

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Parliamentary session marked by budget cuts

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National bank holds interest rates steady

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Banks record best result in four years

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A close-up look at Einstein’s genius

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House moots lifting ban on embryo screening

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House votes to lift ban on embryo screening

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Parliament gives go-ahead to budget cuts

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