New economic situation board shows robust economic situation in the canton of Zurich

(CONNECT) The new Konjunkturboard Zürich is positioning itself as a new tool for providing a well-founded and up-to-date assessment of the economic situation in the canton of Zurich. According to a press release, the first economic analysis was presented on February 4 and will be updated every six months from now on. Among other things, it refers to the regular economic surveys conducted by the Swiss Economic Institute (KOF ) at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH). It also bundles other economic indicators whose data is otherwise difficult to access and rarely prepared. The Economic Board is backed by the Cantonal Office for Economy, Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB) and the Zurich Chamber of Commerce (ZHK).

The economic analysis for the first quarter of 2026 paints a robust picture. In a nationwide comparison, the Canton of Zurich is slightly but consistently more positive than Switzerland as a whole in terms of key indicators. As a result, the Zurich economy was also less affected by the turbulence surrounding the US tariffs. The reason given is its broadly diversified industry and export structure. A slump in exports to the USA was largely offset by other export destinations.

According to the analyses, the business situation is showing an upward trend. The construction sector and financial services in particular are demonstrating stability, while the situation in industry is described as tense. As unemployment has risen over the past twelve months, the shortage of skilled workers has also decreased slightly in some areas. Experts expect the economy and the situation on the labour market to stabilize in 2026. Moderate growth in gross domestic product of 1 to 1.5 percent in real terms is expected in the canton in 2026.

"The Economic Board is a new and valuable tool for Zurich as a business location that gives us an even more up-to-date overview of economic developments," commented Carmen Walker Späh, Head of the Department for Economic Affairs. According to ZHK Director Raphaël Tschanz, it provides companies in the canton with clear and concise guidance: "The business cycle board translates key indicators into clear messages and thus makes it easier to plan. This allows trends and options for action to be identified at an early stage," says Tschanz.

The ZKB also emphasizes the networking concept, as the Konjunkturboard Zürich brings together important players in the canton of Zurich. "The Economic Board thus creates transparency and facilitates dialog between the real economy and the financial world," says ZKB chief economist Martin Weder. ce/yvh