
Consumer confidence collapses
In March 2026, consumer sentiment in Switzerland stood at - 43 points. 8 points below the previous year's level and the lowest level since the beginning of 2024. Households are more pessimistic about the economy, finances and major purchases. Geopolitical tensions are weighing on sentiment. SECO

No longer a bonus, but mandatory
Is the heyday of sustainability already over? What was once a new departure and a will to shape the future is increasingly losing weight in day-to-day operations. Short-term solutions are being prioritized among cost, market and usage issues, while structural decisions are being postponed. Yet now

Municipal energy supplier is systematically expanding its infrastructure and district heating network
The Zurich City Electricity Works (ewz) posted a profit of CHF 303 million on turnover of CHF 1.44 billion in 2025. During the year under review, the energy supplier invested CHF 244 million in networks, power stations and shareholdings. In addition, the ERZ district heating network was


Weather conditions and impairment charges are weighing on business performance
In 2025, BKW generated revenue of CHF 4,544 million, 4.8 per cent less than in the previous year. Profit fell to CHF 561 million, compared with CHF 790 million the previous year. The decline is partly attributable to a write-down of CHF 113 million on a coal-fired power station in

Graubünden builds bigger, more expensive, longer
Anyone driving through Graubünden after Easter will need patience. This year there are 128 roadworks on 1360 kilometers of cantonal road. That's one every ten kilometers. Sounds like a lot, but it's less than in 2025, when 174 roadworks were still slowing down traffic at the same time. However,

Rent cap eats its own children
Capping rents, making terminations more difficult, securing living space. That sounds like social justice. But in Basel-Stadt, it is precisely this logic that has brought housing construction to a standstill. Now Zurich is set to follow the same path on June 14. Those who ignore the warning signs

Who pays, who lives, who benefits?
How social are Swiss real estate portfolios really? Until now, this question has remained a contentious issue without a data basis. The SOSDA Benchmark 2025 fundamentally changes this. For the first time, an empirical framework provides reliable figures on the social performance of residential real

That’s what it’s all about: usage and operating concepts as the key to needs-based sports facilities
They can be found all over the country: public sports facilities with roots dating back to the 1960s. Accordingly, the need to renovate or build new facilities has grown over the last 20 years. One issue is of central importance: the need for a comprehensive utilization and operating

Industrial firm stabilises turnover and invests in new sites
The Kistler Group achieved a turnover of 424 million Swiss francs in 2025, representing a currency-adjusted decline of 1 per cent. The number of orders fell by 2 per cent. In 2026, the measurement technology specialist aims to focus on growth in Asia. In addition, the smart factory planned for


The turnaround is real USZ turns positive
A huge excavation pit is gaping in the heart of Zurich. The new hospital campus will cost almost a billion. A further 1.3 billion will follow over the next 25 years. Who is paying for it? The hospital itself. This is precisely why the current figures are so crucial and so

Power generator continues to invest in flexible energy production
Alpiq achieved an adjusted operating result of CHF 572 million in 2025. In the previous year, the figure was CHF 962 million. The unplanned outage at the Gösgen nuclear power plant had a negative impact of CHF 149 million on the electricity producer's results. Net income halved to CHF 310


Transformation programme proves effective at access technology specialist
Dormakaba, a company operating in the locking technology sector, will see declines in total revenue and profit in the first half of the 2025/26 financial year. However, organic growth will be generated and margins will also increase. The forecast therefore remains

Orientation in a tight property market
The Swiss property market remains characterised by scarcity, rising prices and bubble concerns. At the same time, the need for reliable advice is growing. In its latest ranking, the business magazine Bilanz has recognised 125 "Top property experts in Switzerland 2026", providing guidance for

Timber construction as an investment
Timber construction not only scores points ecologically, but increasingly also from an investor's perspective. It offers cost certainty, shorter construction times and reduces regulatory and market-related risks, despite higher construction and life cycle costs in some

PropTech Switzerland 2025
Small, highly specialised and fast-growing. The Swiss PropTech scene is one of the most innovative technology fields in the property industry in Europe. With strong roots at ETH and EPFL, a growing volume of funding and clear sustainability goals, an ecosystem is developing here that is

Rental prices rise only modestly in January
The Homegate rental index for advertised rents measures a 0.2 per cent increase in rents across Switzerland for January. Half of the cantons reported a negative rental trend for January. Rents also remained stable or fell in cities. Only Zurich saw prices rise in

Defect rights and builders’ liens – important changes
On 1st January 2026, a partial revision of warranty law in the Swiss Code of Obligations (CO) will come into force, strengthening the rights of builders and property buyers. At the same time, the building contractor's lien will be clarified in the Swiss Civil Code



Swiss companies start the year on a more optimistic note
The business situation in the Swiss private sector improved noticeably at the start of 2026. Companies are more confident about the coming months than they were at the beginning of 2025. The upturn is being driven primarily by the manufacturing industry, but the construction, financial, retail and

Densification of housing stock is unpopular with the population
According to a survey by Comparis, almost two-thirds of people in Switzerland feel the housing shortage. Experts believe that taller buildings in cities could provide a solution. However, women in particular reject this idea. Overall, 68 per cent are against increasing the density of the housing

Antitrust law with scope for cooperation
During its 2025 winter session, Parliament passed the revision of the Cartel Act. The aim is to protect competition, but economically sensible cooperation should no longer be subject to general suspicion. For planning offices and the construction industry, the amendment brings greater legal

Air transport between growth and climate costs
Civil aviation in Switzerland generated direct added value of CHF 9.8 billion in 2024. Total added value amounts to CHF 24.8 billion. Zurich is the most accessible region in Europe. This is according to a report by INFRAS commissioned by the Federal Office of Civil

Senior citizens sell their homes late and downsize only slightly after moving out
The Zurich Cantonal Bank's real estate barometer has analysed voluntary moves out of owner-occupied homes. It is striking that moves usually involve couples, do not involve a change of location, and become more frequent from the age of 85 onwards. After moving out, the number of rooms per person

Regional strength compensates for weakness in the Asian market
Sika AG, a company active in the specialty chemicals sector, achieved preliminary sales of CHF 11.2 billion in the 2025 financial year. In local currencies, this corresponds to growth of 0.6 per cent. In Swiss francs, negative currency effects (-5.4 per cent) resulted in a decline of 4.8 per

