Switzerland’s economy outperformed expectations in Q1 2025, driven by a surge in exports to the United States and strong growth in the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors.
Switzerland’s gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 0.8% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the previous quarter, surpassing initial forecasts, according to final figures released by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).
The seasonally and calendar-adjusted GDP growth follows a 0.6% expansion in Q4 2024. In May, SECO had forecast 0.7% growth for Q1 based on preliminary estimates.
A key contributor to the stronger-than-expected performance was a surge in Swiss exports to the United States. SECO noted: “Exports to the United States saw a sharp increase in the first quarter, possibly due to frontloading in response to U.S. trade policy.”
Swiss exports to the U.S. jumped by 17.4% from January to March compared to the final quarter of 2024 - far outpacing the 3.6% rise in overall exports. The chemical and pharmaceutical sectors also saw above-average growth during the period.
Tensions have risen in trade relations between Switzerland and the U.S. after the Trump administration imposed a 31% tariff on Swiss imports in April, though that rate was later reduced to 10% temporarily. The looming threat of tariffs led to a sharp appreciation of the Swiss franc and dampened investment activity.
The Swiss government is currently in talks with U.S. officials in an effort to prevent further escalation. With pharmaceuticals representing a cornerstone of the country’s export economy, Switzerland remains vulnerable to trade barriers in that sector.
Indian authorities have launched a manslaughter investigation after at least 14 children died from a toxic cough syrup in Madhya Pradesh, raising fres...
Clashes have broken out in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo after Kurdish YPG militants allegedly violated a ceasefire agreement and attacked Syrian...
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to further strengthen his country’s alliance with Russia, in a letter to President Vladimir Putin markin...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has alleged that Russian missiles and drones contain tens of thousands of components sourced from Western comp...
Delegations from Israel and Hamas launched indirect negotiations in Egypt on Monday, in talks the United States hopes will finally bring an end to the...
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to further strengthen his country’s alliance with Russia, in a letter to President Vladimir Putin marking his birthday and praising his leadership.
Delegations from Israel and Hamas launched indirect negotiations in Egypt on Monday, in talks the United States hopes will finally bring an end to the Gaza conflict. The discussions centre on highly contentious issues, including calls for Israel to withdraw from the enclave and for Hamas to disarm.
A Judge has died after being shot in the chest as he announced the verdict in a property case before him. The suspect also injured two people after opening fire at the Tirana Court on Monday.
Gisèle Pelicot, whose testimony helped expose one of France’s most disturbing rape cases, returned to court on Monday for the appeal of one of the 51 men convicted of sexually assaulting her.
Video from the USGS (United States Geological Survey) showed on Friday (19 September) the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii erupting and spewing lava.
At least eight people have died and more than 90 others were injured following a catastrophic gas tanker explosion on a major highway in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa district on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on 13 September with no tsunami threat, coming just weeks after the region endured a devastating 8.8-magnitude quake — the strongest since 1952.
Authorities in California have identified the dismembered body discovered in a Tesla registered to singer D4vd as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who had been missing from Lake Elsinore since April 2024.
The currency swap agreement signed between the central banks of Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to strengthen Türkiye’s digital banking sector and attract fresh investment from the Gulf.
Shein is opening its first permanent physical stores in France, starting in Paris and expanding to five more cities. The fast-fashion giant aims to test brick-and-mortar retail in one of the world’s most influential fashion markets.
Tesla sales hit a record 497,099 vehicles in Q3 as buyers rushed before the U.S. tax credit expired according to reports. Despite the surge, experts warn the gains may not last amid rising competition.
American soybean farmers are struggling as China, once their largest buyer, shifts purchases to Argentina amid trade tensions and export incentives.
U.S.-based aviation company Boeing is preparing to produce a new narrow-body, single-aisle aircraft to replace its 737 Max model, sources report.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment