Chemical and pharma products boost 2019 foreign trade

Swiss exports last year rose by 3.9% to CHF242.3 billion ($250 billion) and imports by 1.6% to CHF205 billion against the background of global uncertainty surrounding trade disputes and the world economy. 

This means that trade in goods reached record levels in both directions. The trade balance ended at a new high of CHF37.3 billion, the Federal Customs Administration said on Tuesday. 

Switzerland’s most important export sector, the chemical-pharmaceutical industry, was the main contributor to the good result with a positive balance of CHF61.9 billion. 

In December alone, goods worth CHF18.7 billion were shipped abroad. Compared with the previous month, on a seasonally adjusted basis, exports fell by 1.2% in nominal terms and by 3.4% in real terms. Meanwhile, imports rose by a nominal 0.7% to CHF16.7 billion (+0.2% in real terms). This results in a surplus of CHF2 billion for the last month of the year.