immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: Index

  • KOF Economic Barometer: Economic outlook slightly gloomier

    KOF Economic Barometer: Economic outlook slightly gloomier

    The KOF Economic Barometer declined by 2.8 points in April to an index level of 96.4. In the previous month, the barometer stood at 99.2 points (revised from 98.2). The majority of the indicator bundles are affected by the slowdown. In particular, the indicators for manufacturing, services, hotels and restaurants and private consumption. In contrast, the outlook for foreign business is stable and that for financial and insurance services is brightening.

    In the manufacturing sector (processing and construction), the indicators for capacity utilisation, the order situation, production and inventories are the main dampeners. In contrast, the indicators for earnings development tend to point to an easing.

    Within the manufacturing sector, the outlook for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, textile and clothing manufacturers and the wood and paper products sector is less favourable than before. The indicator values for mechanical engineering, food and beverage producers and for the metal sector are almost stable. The trend for indicators in the electrical sector is upward.

  • Zurich is once again ranked number 1 in the Smart City Index 2023

    Zurich is once again ranked number 1 in the Smart City Index 2023

    Three Swiss cities are among the nine smartest cities in the world. This is shown by the IMD Smart City Index 2023, for which a total of 141 cities around the globe were examined. With the exception of 2021, it has been compiled annually since 2019 by the World Competitiveness Center of the IMD Business School in Lausanne. It has its headquarters in Lausanne and Singapore.

    Zurich is in first place in this ranking, as it has been since the first edition of this index, ahead of Oslo, Canberra and Copenhagen. Lausanne follows in 5th place, after 4th place in 2020. At that time, Geneva held 6th place, this year it is 9th. Between Lausanne and Geneva, London, Singapore and Helsinki are ranked this year.

    In first place, Zurich naturally scores well above average on virtually all criteria. The city achieves top scores in terms of structures in the subject areas of health & safety, activities, work & school and governance – with two exceptions: air pollution and the availability of affordable rental housing. On the other hand, the city is in the middle of the pack for technology issues and only scores better for work & school.

    Lausanne, in 4th place, is mostly rated well above average on all structural topics. With regard to technologies, the city, like Zurich, is in the midfield almost everywhere. It achieves absolute top scores for green spaces, cultural activities and IT education in schools. In public transport, its online services are rated very highly.

    Geneva achieves the highest scores for urban green spaces, access to school education and feedback from citizens on decisions made by the city administration. Two negative outliers are found in agreement with the statement that businesses generate new jobs and that online access to job offers makes it easier to find work. For both, Geneva is at the bottom of the group index.

    In all three cities, affordable rents, traffic congestion and air pollution are cited as priorities by respondents. What is most striking about this year’s analysis, according to IMD, is that of the top 20 cities, 17 have been in the index since its inception. Among these 17 cities, six show either continuous improvement or stability from year to year. These “super champions” are Zurich, Oslo, Singapore, Beijing, Seoul and Hong Kong.

  • Privately used residential property is becoming more expensive

    Privately used residential property is becoming more expensive

    According to a media release from Raiffeisen Switzerland on the quarterly transaction price index, owner-occupied homes have to dig deeper into their pockets than in the first quarter and also compared to the previous year. Accordingly, the purchase of a condominium increased in price by 3.5 percent in the second quarter. Compared to the same period last year, there was a price increase of 7.7 percent. A single-family house costs 1.3 percent more than in the previous quarter. Year-on-year, prices for this type of property have risen by 8.7 percent.

    According to the Raiffeisen chief economist Martin Neff, who was quoted in the media release, the price dynamic is due to the shortage of supply in the home ownership market. Neither the interest rate hike nor the heightened uncertainties in the reporting period would have changed that.

    In the case of condominiums, the highest increase in prices compared to the previous year was in the Zurich region, where prices rose by 11 percent. In contrast, the Bern region has the lowest rate compared to 2021 at 3.5 percent. 10.6 percent more has to be paid for a condominium in tourist areas.

    The price spiral is also driving up the costs for single-family homes. In the Western Switzerland region, the segment has increased in price by 12.8 percent, in the Northwestern Switzerland region the value is 10.4 percent.

    Broken down by place of residence, there is a pronounced desire for private home ownership in the countryside, where the prices for a single-family house have soared by 12 percent. In city centers, house prices are 8.7 percent higher than last year.

  • Buildings insurance canton Zurich leaves index unchanged

    Buildings insurance canton Zurich leaves index unchanged

    The Zurich index of residential construction prices, which is collected annually, rose by 1.1 percent to 1057.7 points between April 2020 and April 2021, explains the building insurance of the Canton of Zurich ( GVZ ) in a message . The independent public company will nevertheless keep its insurance index based on the construction price level unchanged at 1025 points in 2022.

    The GVZ last adjusted its insurance index to 1025 points in 2009, the communication further explains. At the same time, the insurance values of the buildings in the canton of Zurich were revised. “The long-term constancy of the index is desirable from an actuarial point of view because it has a positive impact on premium stability,” explains the company.

    In general, the GVZ insures buildings at their new value, the message goes on to say. Property owners can, however, have a new appraisal carried out at any time. This is particularly useful after value-adding investments in order to avoid a possible underfunding of the insurance cover for the property.