Switzerland’s trade surplus widened to CHF 3.2 billion in April 2026, up from a downwardly revised and more-than-two-year low of CHF 2.6 billion in March. Exports inched up 0.1% month-over-month to a three-month high of CHF 22.3 billion, driven by higher shipments of machinery, electronics and equipment (+5.5%) and watches (+5.0%), which offset a decline in chemical and pharmaceutical products (-3.1%).
By destination, exports to Asia rose 9.8%, while shipments to North America surged 16.2%. In contrast, exports to Europe dropped sharply by 11.6%, with sales to EU member states falling 12.3%.
On the import side, overall purchases fell 3.0% month-over-month to CHF 19.0 billion, largely reflecting lower imports of chemical and pharmaceutical products (-16.2%) and food, feed and beverages (-1.3%). Geographically, the decline was primarily driven by reduced imports from Europe (-1.1%), while imports from North America climbed 7.0% and those from Asia increased 4.4%.
