immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: BIP

  • Flash GDP shows only minimal growth

    Flash GDP shows only minimal growth

    After a solid start to the year with growth of 0.8%, the momentum of the Swiss economy slowed significantly in spring 2025. According to the flash estimate published by Seco on Friday, GDP rose by just 0.1% in the second quarter. This confirms the impression of a cooling economy, which is in line with expectations but well below the start of the year.

    Industry weakens
    The main reason for the meagre growth was a negative development in industry, which was characterized by falling demand and global uncertainty. By contrast, the service sector proved to be a stabilizing factor. It was able to partially compensate for the declines in industry and thus prevented zero growth. Consumer-related services and the finance and insurance sector in particular performed robustly.

    Pharmaceutical exports fueled the first quarter
    The clear contrast to the start of the year illustrates the volatility of the Swiss economy. An extraordinary special effect boosted the economy in the first quarter. The uncertainties surrounding possible US tariffs led to exports, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector, being brought forward to the USA before new regulations came into force. This pull-forward effect contributed significantly to the 0.8% increase at the time, but has now disappeared.

    Disagreement among economists
    The current trend is in line with forecasts, but experts’ assessments differed widely in advance. The economists surveyed by the news agency AWP ranged from a slight decline of 0.3% to growth of 0.3%. The increase of 0.1% now reported is therefore exactly in the middle of expectations.

    Methodology and outlook
    The published figures are based on a quick estimate (“flash GDP”), which is published around 45 days after the end of the quarter. Seco combines early production data with forecasts in order to provide an initial indication of the economic trend. As incomplete basic data is still used, the values may change in the regular publication. The official estimate, including detailed analyses on the production, use and income side, will be published on August 28, 2025.

    A comprehensive revision of the national accounts is also due later in the year. The revised GDP data from 1980 to the second quarter of 2025 will be published on September 29, 2025.

    The Swiss economy is virtually treading water in spring 2025. While industry continues to struggle with difficult conditions, the robust service sector is preventing a slide into stagnation. The coming months will show whether the economy will stabilize or whether further braking effects will dampen development. International trade relations, the development of interest rates and global demand will remain decisive factors.

  • Canton of Zurich – on the pulse of the action

    Canton of Zurich – on the pulse of the action

    The canton of Zurich is an important growth driver in the Swiss economy. Its gross domestic product (GDP) was more than CHF 143 billion in 2017. That corresponds to more than 20 percent of Swiss GDP. This means that the canton of Zurich has the greatest economic output and added value within Switzerland. The added value can be increased by companies, research and educational institutions and specialist organizations cooperating along the value chain in clusters such as financial services, life sciences, creative industries, cleantech, aerospace, information and communication technology. According to the Statistical Office, the canton of Zurich generates more than 20 percent of the Swiss gross domestic product (GDP) with an annual GDP volume of over CHF 120 billion. This is the greatest cantonal economic added value in Switzerland.

    Maintaining international relationships is also an opportunity to directly follow and actively influence international developments in both the economic and political spheres. The business contacts acquired in this way are of direct benefit to the representatives from business, science and administration based in the canton.

    In terms of quality of life and standard of living, Zurich has held top positions in international rankings for many years. The city of Zurich emerged as the winner of the well-known Mercer study on quality of life seven times in a row. It has been in second place since 2009. The study compares 230 cities based on 39 criteria such as health care, entertainment, shopping, schools, housing, environmental issues, and the political and economic situation.

    A new index also measures the economic and social distribution of prosperity for the first time, and the metropolis on the Limmat ranks first among 113 cities, as zh.ch writes: The “Prosperity and Inclusion in Cities Seal and Awards Index” not only measures economic growth, but above all its quality and what proportion the different population groups have in it. Zurich scored particularly well in terms of work, living, leisure, security and education. Vienna follows in second place, ahead of Copenhagen, Luxembourg and Helsinki. In the inner Swiss city ranking, Zurich ranks first and Winterthur third.

    Testimonials

    Carmen Walker Spah
    Government Councilor,
    Director of Economics

    Thanks to the first-class universities, the availability of specialists, the excellent infrastructure and the high innovative strength of our economy, the canton of Zurich is a highly attractive location for companies.

    David Allemann
    Co-founder On

    Zurich is cosmopolitan, cool and rethinks. It is important that many creative minds live and work in Zurich who drive the location forward in terms of creativity and innovation. So Zurich remains unique.

    René Kalt
    Managing Director
    Innovation Park Zurich

    Universities and numerous innovative companies make Zurich a perfect location for networking science and business. The Innovation Park Zurich contributes to this knowledge and technology transfer, making Zurich even more innovative.

    Mario Jenni
    Co-Founder &
    CEO Bio-Technopark Schlieren-Zurich

    Zurich is an excellent life sciences location due to numerous health and technology companies as well as excellent universities. The “Paradeplatz” of the biotech scene is located in Schlieren and is becoming more and more important nationally and internationally.

  • The Swiss construction industry needs to rethink

    The Swiss construction industry needs to rethink

    The almost complete study on the situation and future of the Swiss construction industry by PwC Switzerland was revised and updated in March in view of the Covid-19 pandemic and its economic effects. There was a clear change in future expectations. The assessments “since Covid-19” were derived from the additional feedback and these were compared with the original assessment “before Covid-19”, according to a press release from PwC Switzerland on the study . Only 58 percent of the 130 companies participating in the study are now positive (92 percent before Covid).

    PwC Switzerland names its study “Make change, take with you what has been tried and tested”. Among other things, it says: “Only those who differentiate win. Creativity and a pioneering spirit are required. The construction industry is facing a paradigm shift towards more differentiation through networked collaboration. Digitization in particular offers interesting opportunities for this. It reduces interfaces, increases the quality of the planning and management processes and promotes the reduction of error costs and idle times in construction. "Covid-19 is likely to drive the" demolition of silo structures in the construction industry and the upcoming reorganization of rigid thought patterns. "

    "Even before the crisis, it became clear that a paradigm shift was required in order to survive in construction – even though the Swiss construction industry will continue to play a major role in many areas of life in the future," said Roland Schegg, Director and Head of Consulting at Family businesses & SMEs at PwC Switzerland.

    87 percent of companies see an opportunity in digitization, but only 62 percent give it a high priority. The use of digital technologies began years ago, according to PwC. But he is mostly limited to administration, marketing, communication or drawing the plans. It is necessary to digitize construction and operation as well. In particular, the planning and execution processes, which are often separated today, could be intelligently linked.

    The construction industry in Switzerland contributes around 15 percent to the gross domestic product. Around 330,000 full-time positions are located in civil engineering. That corresponds to a third of all employees in the industrial sector.