News

In April 2026 the consumer sentiment index stood at –40 points. This is 2 points higher than in April 2025. The following sub-indices are higher than in April 2025: economic outlook and past financial situation. The following sub-index is lower than a year ago: moment to make major purchases. The following sub-index has barely changed compared to April 2025: financial outlook.

In Switzerland, 55.2% of the population belongs to the middle income group, a share that has remained largely stable for 25 years. The life situations of people in this group can vary considerably. In the lower middle income group, around one in ten people face housing costs exceeding 40% of their disposable household income. One in four people in this group live in a household without the means to cover an unexpected expense of CHF 2500. In the upper middle income group the respective proportions are much lower, at 3.5% and 10.9%. These are some of the findings from the 2023 Household Budget Survey and the 2024 Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) conducted by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

Passive cooling systems for nuclear power plants operate without pumps or electricity: They rely solely on physical effects such as density differences to dissipate heat. Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have now experimentally investigated such systems for small modular reactors, collecting high-resolution measurement data for the first time. This provides an important basis for developing future generations of reactors.

The Swiss OSCE Chairmanship today opened a high-level conference in Geneva on the theme “Anticipating technologies – for a safe and humane future”. The two-day event brings together around 200 participants from OSCE participating States, as well as representatives of international organisations, academia and the private sector.

State Secretary Alexandre Fasel and US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau held political consultations in Washington, DC, on 6 May 2026. Discussions focused on the current geopolitical situation, economic cooperation, innovation and future-oriented issues. The open and constructive exchange underscored the close bilateral relations between Switzerland and the US.

On 7.05.2026 the Federal Department of Economic Affairs EAER has amended the formular “ Reporting services and software (art. 28e (9) Ukraine Ordinance) ”.

Opening address by the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, at the conference organised by the Swiss OSCE Chairmanship on anticipating technologies at CERN – check against delivery

Terahertz radiation is a promising part of the electromagnetic spectrum that has so far been underutilized. Empa researchers Elena Mavrona and Erwin Hack want to help close the so-called terahertz gap. With their spin-off company Lepto, they manufacture filters and other devices for terahertz radiation, enabling a wide range of applications both in space and on Earth.

Address by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) at the annual meeting of the Mittwochsgesellschaft in Cham – Check against delivery

How could life in Switzerland develop socially, economically and politically by the end of the century? Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL investigated this as part of the NCCS-Impacts programme. The result? Five scenarios with significantly different impacts on greenhouse gas emissions, as shown by modelling in a new publication.

A new final report (aviation) is available on the website of the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board STSB.

The Federal Council today decided to submit to the Federal Assembly a spending ceiling of CHF 3.93 million for the Swiss Human Rights Institution (SHRI) for the period 2027–30, thus maintaining the same level of funding as in the previous period.