Author: Andreas Grossenbacher

The Case: Switzerland is faced with a record level of vacant office space. The Commentary: According to experts, around 3.17 million square metres of office space were advertised as vacant on 1 October 2025, which amounts to about 9 % more than a year previously.

The Case: The European Union is often perceived as an economic underperformer, especially when compared with the United States. It seems that this perception is particularly widespread in Switzerland. The Commentary: This perception is somewhat misleading; the weak performance primarily reflects the sluggish development of our immediate neighboring economies rather…

The Case: A legislative amendment was adopted by the Parliament of the Canton of Ticino, introducing an extraordinary adjustment of the fiscal value of real estate, with tax effects as of 1 January 2026. The Commentary: The Cantonal Parliament has enacted a legislative decree providing for an extraordinary increase in…

The Case: The M&A market for Swiss small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) made a solid bounce back in 2025. The Commentary: According to Deloitte, 208 mergers and acquisitions were completed, which indicates a growth of 16 % year-on-year. For the first time more than half of these transactions involved foreign…

The Case: Family-owned bakery company Hug reported record sales of CHF 136 million in 2025, i.e. up 4 % compared to 2024. The Commentary: Growth was driven by a strong demand for Hug’s Wernli Biscuits and Dar-Vida brands as well as solid performance in export markets. At the same time,…