Swiss SMEs more optimistic about the future again

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in Switzerland are once again somewhat more optimistic about the future, according to a study by Raiffeisen. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Specifically, 69% of SMEs reckoned that the future economic situation was good to very good. A year earlier, only 62% were of this opinion. More than 80% also expect stable or rising sales and are less critical of issues such as inflation and energy prices, even if these factors still play a major role. Companies from the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors, the hotel and catering industry and the construction sector – the latter possibly also thanks to the interest rate environment – are among the most optimistic. By contrast, companies from the energy and infrastructure sectors are more cautious about the future. Meanwhile, foreign policy developments have made it into the top three risk factors. With the numerous geopolitical upheavals, the Swiss franc is increasingly ...