Keystone-SDA
Swiss watch exports further fell in June, even if the decline turned out to be lower in May, when the fall came close to 10%. Shipments to the United States have plunged again.
(Keystone-ATS) Last month, Helvetic timepieces exports decreased by 5.6% over one year to 2.2 billion francs, according to the press release published Thursday by the Swiss watch industry federation (FH).
“Over six months, the evolution remains close to the balance (-0.1%) to almost 13 billion francs, a level which could however register as clear if this trend was confirmed,” she said.
Shipments abroad were penalized by decreases marked in the United States (-18%), as well as to Japan (-11%), fourth destination for Swiss watches, and Hong Kong (-11%also) in fifth place.
Raised by a favorable basic effect, China recorded an increase of 6.1%. “However, this market only represented a fraction of its level before the real estate crisis, with exports of almost 30% to those noted two years earlier,” put the FH into perspective.