Secondary sector production declined by 7.7 % in 2nd quarter 2020 in comparison with the same quarter a year earlier. Turnover fell by 10.2 %. This is the biggest decline since 2nd quarter 2009. With the exception of the pharmaceutical industry, all sectors saw production and turnover losses. This is shown by provisional results from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
In comparison with the previous year industrial production declined in April by 6.0 %, in May by 11.3 %, and in June by 8.1 %. For the whole of 2nd quarter 2020 production declined by 8.6 % in comparison with the same quarter a year earlier.
Construction production declined by 3.0 % in 2nd quarter 2020 in comparison with the same quarter a year earlier. Production declined by 1.8 % in building, civil engineering also registered a decline (–7.7 %). Lastly, specialised construction activities registered a decline of 3.0 % in their production.
Turnover
Industrial turnover in April fell by 11.2 % in comparison with the previous year, and in May (–14.6 %) and in June (–10.1 %). For the whole of 2nd quarter 2020 in comparison with the same quarter a year earlier, turnover registered a decline of 12.1 %.
Construction turnover fell by 2.7 % in 2nd quarter 2020 in comparison with the same quarter a year earlier. Turnover fell by 1.1 % in building, Civil engineering registered a decline of 7.2 %, specialised construction activities a decline of 3.2 %.
Pandemic and statistical results
The COVID-19 pandemic is currently affecting all of society and the economy. To measure this impact the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) must continue in these difficult circumstances to provide the public, but in particular the media and decision makers, with reliable data.
The results published in this press release are based on the data currently available. They may need to be corrected or revised.
Methodological notice
The Industry Production, Orders and Turnover Statistics (INDPAU) is a quarterly survey. The random sample comprises some 4500 companies.
The Swiss Federal Office for Energy (SFOE), the Swiss organization responsible for the compulsory stockpiling of oil products (CARBURA) and the Swiss Association of Gas Industry (VSG) serve as secondary sources for the statistical survey. This collaboration avoids certain economic activities having to be surveyed twice.
Among the variables surveyed are the monthly turnover figures and the quarterly orders received and on hand. The three variables are broken down by economic activity. A distinction is made by provenance (domestic/foreign) for the turnover and orders received variables. The economic activities’ production is calculated by deflating turnover by production prices.
The Construction Production, Orders and Turnover Statistics (BAPAU) represent the economic development of the construction industry. The random sample is composed of roughly 3800 companies.
The Swiss Contractors’ Association (SBV) conducts its own statistical survey among its members (approximately 1800 enterprises), data from which is used by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) for the Construction Industry Production, Orders and Turnover Statistics. This coordinated approach makes it possible to avoid double surveys and eases the burden on enterprises.
Among the variables surveyed are the quarterly turnover figures, orders received and on hand. The three variables are broken down by economic activity. The economic activities’ production is calculated by deflating turnover by production prices.
Both statistics are based on the General Classification of Economic Activities (NOGA) from the year 2008, which meets international standards and classifies businesses into different economic activities based on their economic activities.
In order to exclude seasonal fluctuations from the time series, data is seasonally adjusted. This is done using the X-12-ARIMA method which recalculates the entire time series every quarter. All time series will be adjusted for the number of working days (not every quarter has the same number of working days).
The results of the secondary sector (INDPAU and BAPAU) are available at: www.statistics.admin.ch