Interest rates to become positive this week

Pixabay

Market watchers are expecting the Swiss National Bank to raise interest rates later this week back into the positive after more than 8 years of negative rates.

Analysts expect the bank – at a meeting this Thursday – to raise rates to plus 0.25% or some suggest it could even be half a percent. 

It would mean the central bank has to start paying out again. Estimates suggest that would amount to several billion francs. Each quarter percent rise means CHF 1.8bn in interest. 

The rate rise is needed to counter inflation – which is currently running at 3.5%. Although modest by European standards, still high for this country. 

More from Bitesize News

  • Crans Montana fire foundation loses members

    The foundation set up to help victims of the Crans-Montana fire has lost four of its nine board members in less than two months.

  • Vaud candidate confirmed to run

    Vaud Green MP Sophie Michaud-Gigon has confirmed she will run for the Council of States in 2027

  • Insects at risk

    Le Temps reports Swiss insect populations are in sharp decline, with roughly 60% of studied species now threatened or potentially threatened

  • Debate over patient record handover

    Vaud MPs are about to decide whether to hand the canton's hospital patient records to an American company — a switch critics call a strategic error over data sovereignty

  • Lake Geneva capsize

    A boat carrying 14 people has capsized on Lake Geneva, triggering a major rescue operation off the French shore near Évian

  • Fuel prices only rising

    Swiss motorists and truckers are facing a fresh fuel shock, with diesel now averaging CHF 2.27 per litre — 27% more than in January

Download our app

  • Available on the App Store
  • Available on Google Play