Switzerland: KOF Economic Barometer rebounds in February
The KOF Economic Barometer—a leading composite indicator for the Swiss economy—rose from 96.5 in January to 102.7 in February, moving above the long-term average of 100. According to the KOF Swiss Economic Institute: “The downward trend since the interim high during the pandemic in September 2020 has come to an end, at least for the time being. For the next few months, the barometer now signals somewhat more lively economic activity.”
February’s increase was in particular driven by more positive signs from the services sector, potentially due to the vaccine rollout and news that the government would begin reopening the sector from March.