Swiss exports to US surge in September as pharma shipments rise

ZURICH (Reuters) -Swiss exports to the United States rebounded sharply in September, with pharmaceutical companies ramping up their shipments ahead of the introduction of U.S. tariffs, government data showed on Tuesday. Total nominal Swiss exports to the United States leapt by nearly 43% last month in seasonally adjusted terms compared to the previous month, the figures showed. Overall, Swiss exports were up 3.4% in September. U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 39% tariffs on Switzerland in August, triggering a sharp drop in Swiss exports to the United States that month. Pharmaceutical companies were, however, exempted from the initial U.S. duties. In late September, Trump said he would from October 1 impose a 100% tariff on imports of branded or patented pharmaceutical products, unless a pharmaceutical company is building a manufacturing plant in the United States. Major Swiss pharma companies such as Roche and Novartis indicated they did not expect those U.S. measures to apply to them because of their expansion plans in the country. Adjusted for seasonal swings, total Swiss exports of chemical and pharmaceutical products jumped in September by 5.1% in nominal terms compared to the previous month. That category accounts for more than half of all Swiss goods exports. (Writing by Dave Graham, editing by John Revill)

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