Export economy Exporting SMEs expect an upturn in the second half of the year

The outlook for the Swiss export industry has brightened. Half of Swiss SMEs expect exports to grow in the second half of the year. Nevertheless, companies are still holding back and are focusing primarily on stable markets such as Europe and the USA.

This is the conclusion reached by the export promotion organization Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE) following a survey of more than 200 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The SME export sentiment surveyed in this way rose to 68.2 points. The last survey six months ago had resulted in a value of 51.6 points.

This means that the barometer is once again well above the growth threshold of 50 points. Whether a turnaround has been achieved after a two-year phase of slowdown will also depend on how geopolitical tensions develop.

Key markets Europe and USA

Despite all the confidence, risk appetite remains low, according to the survey. For example, 46 percent of companies do not want to conquer new markets. Europe and the USA remain the most important export destinations for Swiss SMEs.

It is striking that the countries of Latin America, which a year ago were still counted among the emerging markets, have also moved somewhat out of focus. However, with the conclusion of the free trade agreement between EFTA and the Mercosur states, the importance of Latin America could suddenly increase again.

The reasons for the lack of adventurousness are the current currency risks, high energy and commodity prices and the shortage of skilled workers. In addition, geopolitical challenges are becoming increasingly important: Switzerland's relationship with the EU, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, tensions between the USA and China and increasing global protectionism. However, according to the survey, tensions in the Middle East also concern almost one in five Swiss SMEs (19%).

Sustainability and artificial intelligence

Half of the companies surveyed are familiar with sustainability reporting or are planning to introduce one. A quarter have already set themselves a net-zero target in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.

In contrast, companies still have a long way to go in the field of artificial intelligence (AI): only 39% of companies use AI in their international business. It is mainly used to create market analyses, identify market trends and optimize marketing strategies and AI-based customer service.