Geneva - Construction of new Swiss homes in the second quarter this year fell by 10 per cent compared to the same period in 2008, official data released Monday showed.

In total, 9,520 new homes were built in Switzerland in the second trimester, the Federal Office of Statistics said. There were 63,020 homes under construction, a 6.5 per cent increase year-on-year.

The decline was particularly felt in small towns and villages in the Alpine land.

In terms of building permits, the federal office said the second quarter saw a similar amount to the number issued last year. (dpa)