(RTTNews) - The Switzerland market opened flat on Thursday, but edged higher soon and then stayed firm right through the day's session as investors piked up stocks, reacting positively to quarterly earnings updates.
The benchmark SMI, which climbed to 10,691.05, ended the day with a gain of 49.93 points or 0.47% at 10,644.99.
ABB rallied 3.71%. Partners Group and Geberit ended higher by about 2.25% and 2.15%, respectively.
Givaudan, Lonza Group, Sika, Logitech International and Sonova ended higher by 1.25 to 1.6%.
Kuehne & Nagel, Swisscom, Nestle and Richemont advanced 0.7 to 1%. Holcom and Swiss Life Holding posted modest gains.
Novartis drifted down by about 0.7%. Zurich Insurance Group, Swiss Re and UBS Group ended modestly lower, while Roche Holding edged down slightly.
In the Mid Price Index, VAT Group rallied 3.76% and Georg Fischer climbed 3.15%. Belimo Holding ended 2.3% up, while Schindler Holding and Clariant gained 1.81% and 1.68%, respectively.
SGS, Straumann Holding, Adecco, PSP Swiss Property, Flughafen Zurich, Schindler Ps and Swiss Prime Site advanced 1 to 1.5%.
Swatch Group ended lower by 1.84%, while Meyer Burger Tech and Galenica Sante drifted down 0.83% and 0.71%, respectively. Sandoz ended 0.37% down.
