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UBS predicts strong growth for Swiss economy

This content was published on Feb 1, 2000 Switzerland’s biggest bank, UBS, is predicting a strong economic recovery, after final quarter figures for 1999 showed the economy was now performing better than at any time in the past ten years. A UBS survey of 300 Swiss industrial concerns showed a strong upturn in performance in the months from October to December 1999, with…

Construction eating into agricultural land

This content was published on Jan 31, 2000 A new report by the Federal Planning Office shows the extent to which Switzerland’s greenbelt land is being eroded by home-building. It says that one square metre of land is built on every second, and the result has been a reduction in the amount of land used for farming. The findings reveal that almost 300…

Switzerland proposes Geneva as home for new biological weapons agency

This content was published on Jan 31, 2000 The Swiss foreign minister, Joseph Deiss, has proposed that Geneva be the home of a new agency dedicated to defusing the threat of biological weapons. His suggestion comes amid growing concern about the potential use of these deadly weapons. Deiss warned the special negotiating group on the Biological Weapons Convention that despite the diminished threat…

Bill Gates brings insights and cash to Davos summit

This content was published on Jan 31, 2000 Bill Gates has been offering his insights into the future of the Internet, at the World Economic Forum summit in Davos. He said the World Wide Web would eventually transform the lives of everyone – even those without access to the technology. Around 2,000 of the world’s most influential business leaders have been taking part…

Novartis venture fund starts to pay off

This content was published on Jan 31, 2000 The Novartis life sciences group in Basel says its venture fund, which encourages new business projects, has helped create or preserve some 650 jobs since being founded three years ago. The figure includes 420 jobs last year alone. Novartis said that in 1999, the fund had helped 20 companies, bringing to 66 the total number…

Bobst announces takeover offer for British company

This content was published on Jan 31, 2000 The Lausanne-based Bobst group, which develops and manufactures machinery for the packaging industry, says it has reached agreement on a cash offer for Fairfield Enterprises, the parent company of Oscar Friedheim. Bobst said it had been represented by the trading company Oscar Friedheim for most of its products in Britain and Ireland for more than…

Swiss hotels see business improve for third year running

This content was published on Jan 31, 2000 The Swiss hotel trade is continuing its recovery, after several lean years. Overnight stays rose by nearly one per cent last year, but the improvement was down to more Swiss people holidaying in their own country. A total of 32 million overnight stays were recorded last year, according to the federal office for statistics. The…

New Migros chief outlines his vision

This content was published on Jan 30, 2000 The incoming chief of Switzerland’s largest supermarket chain, Migros, has been outlining his vision of the company’s future. Claude Hauser said the way was clear for Migros to resume strong growth, provided it capitalised on its strengths and promoted itself better. Hauser is keen to play up the company’s strengths, reminding people that it was…

UBS head rules out involvement in further mergers

This content was published on Jan 30, 2000 The chief executive of Switzerland’s largest bank, UBS, Marcel Ospel, is convinced that more mergers in the banking world are imminent. But he rejected speculation that UBS might be involved. “I believe there is a further need for consolidation”, Ospel said in an interview with the SonntagsZeitung. But he added that a merger involving UBS…

Union leader welcomes shift in attitudes towards globalisation

This content was published on Jan 30, 2000 A top trade union leader has welcomed what he sees as a shift in attitudes on the globalisation issue at the World Economic Forum summit. But the general secretary of the Geneva-based Union Network International, Philip Jennings, said world leaders needed to recognise that the free market was increasing poverty and suffering. Jennings’ comments came…

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UBS predicts strong growth for Swiss economy

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Construction eating into agricultural land

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Switzerland proposes Geneva as home for new biological weapons agency

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Bill Gates brings insights and cash to Davos summit

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Novartis venture fund starts to pay off

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Bobst announces takeover offer for British company

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Swiss hotels see business improve for third year running

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New Migros chief outlines his vision

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UBS head rules out involvement in further mergers

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Union leader welcomes shift in attitudes towards globalisation

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