logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2025
17m 30s

Small country: Big tariffs

Bbc World Service
About this episode

We head to Switzerland, a small but very successful country with a population of just 9 million.

And now coping with some of US President Donald Trump’s highest tariffs.

In August the original threat of 31% tariffs was raised to 39%.

Two months on, efforts to negotiate with Washington have proved fruitless and the Swiss economy, regularly ranked as the most competitive in the world, is starting to slow down.

Produced and presented by Imogen Foulkes

(Swiss watch brands, including Zenith and Hublot, in a shopping arcade in Geneva, Switzerland. Credit: Getty Images)

Up next
Yesterday
Founders: Ola Sars from Beats Music to the soundtrack of hospitality
Ola Sars has spent two decades helping shape the way music is discovered, streamed and licensed. He co-founded Beats Music, the streaming service that helped lay the groundwork for Apple Music, before launching Soundtrack, a company that provides licensed music to restaurants, ca ... Show More
17m 29s
Apr 2026
Headspace: from mindfulness app to military partner
Headspace started life as a mindfulness app. Now it's partnering with the US Navy and investing in artificial intelligence for mental health support.The company's CEO Tom Pickett speaks to us about therapy, the increasing role of technology, and tackling burnout at scale.If you'd ... Show More
17m 28s
Apr 2026
Anthropic: the $300bn AI firm at war with the White House
Anthropic’s rise from startup to one of the world’s leading players in artificial intelligence has been staggering, but so in recent weeks has been its row with the US Government.Today, we look at that journey to becoming a 380 billion dollar company, ask why Claude has become on ... Show More
17m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2025
Her Business Was Thriving. Then Came the Tariffs.
<p>When President Trump raised tariffs against China to an astonishing 145 percent last week, he radically changed the cost of doing business for thousands of American companies.</p><p>Michael Barbaro speaks to Beth Benike, a small-business owner who fears her business will not s ... Show More
33m 15s
Feb 2025
Tariff turbulence
tail spinning
11m 11s
Nov 2024
Deep Dive: What Trump's Tariff Tactics Mean for the Economy
<p>President-elect Trump isn't in office yet but is already threatening tariffs against key trading partners: Mexico, Canada, and China. As tensions rise, industries from automobiles to agriculture are bracing for potential price hikes and disruptions. We explore how these tariff ... Show More
9m 17s
Mar 2025
Tariffs Become Reality
The Trump administration’s 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico are now in effect. Is this a negotiation tactic? A new long-term reality? (00:21) Jason Moser and Ricky Mulvey discuss: - The impacts of tariffs on investors and companies. - If Target is a value play. - Okta ... Show More
31m 2s
Aug 2025
Higher tariffs and lower jobs numbers hit equity markets
President Trump’s team delivered more tariff surprises ahead of the weekend with conditions worsening for both Canada and Switzerland. Then the jobs data delivered some ugly news for the US economy, with severe downward revisions to May and June’s data which saw the bearer of the ... Show More
12 m
Aug 2025
Trade news and macro data keep investors on their toes
With tariffs on Switzerland still in focus, a small Swiss delegation travels to Washington to negotiate a resolution. Meanwhile, emerging tariff threats for semiconductors and pharmaceuticals are weighing on market sentiment. Beyond trade developments, investors must digest a sle ... Show More
20m 43s
Apr 2025
A Pause for Most Tariffs
President Trump announced a 90-day pause on retaliatory tariffs and a lower 10% reciprocal tariff for most countries. Meanwhile, the trade dispute with China is heating up. (00:21) Jason Moser and Ricky Mulvey discuss: - The market’s extreme reactions to tariff news. - China’s “ ... Show More
34m 13s