SWISS

Swiss voters have rejected a proposal to redefine the country's long-standing neutrality, with final government results showing more than 70% voting against it and a majority opposing it in all 26 cantons. The plan was championed by a right-wing populist party, which had argued Switzerland's neutral status should be stricter. The clear outcome preserves the current, more flexible interpretation of Swiss neutrality.

Switzerland is reportedly moving toward choosing Eurosam, the Franco-Italian joint venture, to supply a ground-based air defence system for the Swiss army. The news, reported by Swiss public broadcaster RTS, is drawing attention in defence circles given Switzerland's recent military modernisation push, including its earlier fighter jet procurement decision.

Pharmaceutical company Roche has outlined plans to move towards autonomous, AI-driven laboratories. According to a Reuters report, the Swiss drugmaker intends to use artificial intelligence and robotics to automate research workflows, accelerating drug discovery and reducing the need for manual lab work. The announcement highlights how major pharma firms are adopting AI to speed up experimentation and research.

Kinzey Capital Management is reported to expect the Swiss National Bank to keep interest rates on hold, with attention on the bank's inflation forecasts. No further details about the firm's reasoning, positions or the timing of the decision are available from the report, so the substance of its analysis remains unknown beyond the headline claim.

Swiss luxury watchmaker H. Moser & Cie. has released a new timepiece being described as an "anti-smartwatch", a deliberate statement against the feature-packed smartwatches dominating the market. The watch leans into traditional mechanical watchmaking rather than screens and connectivity. Watch media and enthusiasts are discussing it as a bold design and philosophy statement from the high-end Swiss brand.