Economy beats expectations

Switzerland’s economy has grown more strongly than expected at the start of the year.

Despite higher oil prices and ongoing trade tensions. New figures from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs show the country’s GDP rose by 0.5% in the first quarter, beating analysts’ expectations.

Officials say both industry and the service sector contributed to the rebound, helped by easing tariff pressures. But economists warn uncertainty remains over whether the momentum can continue as energy prices stay high.

More from Bitesize News

  • Hotter today than the weekend

    The heatwave is set to intensify today, with temperatures expected to climb even higher than over the weekend.

  • Heat melting the roads

    Traffic congestion on the autoroutes has reached a new record.

  • Govt wants war drones and fighting robots

    The military is set for a major overhaul, with plans to create a dedicated drone and robotics battalion by 2028.

  • Iranian talks cause Kloten shut down

    Preparations for expected U.S.-Iran talks at the Bürgenstock have caused major disruption at Zurich' Kloten Airport. An urgently introduced no-fly zone around the summit venue is being linked to a technical malfunction that affected radar displays at air traffic control provider Skyguide yesterday morning. The failure halted all departures from Zurich for more than an hour, disrupting dozens of flights. Take-offs resumed shortly before 8 a.m., but reduced airspace capacity meant delays continued throughout the morning as authorities worked to restore normal operations.

  • Congestion reaches new highs

    Traffic congestion on the autoroutes has reached a new record.

  • Govt looks to ban Nazi symbols

    The government wants to ban the public display of Nazi symbols, including swastikas, Hitler salutes and SS insignia.

Download our app

  • Available on the App Store
  • Available on Google Play