The Swiss market concluded Friday's trading session with a slight uptick following a day marked by fluctuating activity, as investors hesitated to engage due to an absence of compelling incentives.
The SMI index operated within a restricted range, ultimately closing with a gain of 10.96 points or 0.09%, spanning a course between 12,142.92 and 12,197.76.
Notable performers included Sandoz Group, which rose over 2%, while SIG Group appreciated by 1.33% and Swatch Group saw an increase of nearly 1%.
Additional gains were recorded by ABB, VAT Group, Geberit, Julius Baer, Roche Holding, Novartis, and Schindler PS, with increases ranging from 0.4 to 0.8%.
Holcim experienced a rise of nearly 0.5%, buoyed by robust third-quarter results. The company confirmed its North American business's US listing remains on schedule for completion by the first half of 2025. Holcim reported net sales of 7.12 billion francs for the quarter, a decrease from the previous year's 7.34 billion francs.
In contrast, SGS declined by 4.1% despite an improvement in sales, reporting an increase to 1.7 billion francs from 1.64 billion francs in the same period last year. The group reaffirmed its full-year 2024 targets, including expectations for mid- to high-single-digit organic growth.
On a less favorable note, Straumann Holding fell by 1.29%, and Swiss Life Holding experienced a decrease of 0.84%. Swiss Re, UBS Group, Sika, Zurich Insurance Group, and Nestle concluded the session with modest declines.
