Industrial production falls sharply in the first quarter
Keystone-SDA
Production in Switzerland’s secondary sector continued to decline in the first quarter of 2026. Industry in particular was weaker than in the previous year, while production in the construction industry increased slightly.
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In the entire secondary sector of the economy, specifically industry and construction, production fell by 6.1% between January and March 2026 compared to the same period in the previous year, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) on Thursday. Turnover shrank by 5.8%.
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In the industrial sector, production fell by a clear 7.1%. The pharmaceutical products (-20.4%) and vehicle construction (-15.0%) sectors saw the sharpest declines. However, there was an increase in the manufacture of metal products (+8.8%) and data processing equipment and watches (+6.6%).
Construction industry up
The construction industry, on the other hand, developed more favourably, as in the fourth quarter of 2025, with a 0.8% increase in production. Both building construction (+2.8%) and civil engineering (+3.8%) grew. In other construction, however, production fell by 0.6%. Turnover in the construction sector rose by 1.5% overall.
Translated from French by AI/jdp
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