Brightbridge Wealth Management Headlines : Swiss Exports Increase in February as Economy Shows of Stability

Swiss exports climbed in February, adding to signs the economy is stabilizing. Foreign sales, adjusted for inflation and seasonal swings, gained 9.2 percent from January, when they fell a revised 10.4 percent, the Federal Customs Office in Bern said in an e-mailed statement today. Imports dropped 12.3 percent from January, when they increased a revised 5.5 percent, and the trade surplus widened to 2.68 billion Swiss francs ($2.94 billion).

Switzerland’s economy is regaining some strength, with an indicator of manufacturing climbing in February and investor confidence increasing for a third month in March. The Swiss central bank last week raised its forecast for economic growth this year to about 1 percent from 0.5 percent. “Looking through monthly volatility, the latest new orders and business survey data point to a stabilization in exports in the coming months” said Alexander Koch, an economist at UniCredit Group (UCG) in Munich.