BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The Switzerland stock market closed lower on Tuesday, in line with most of the markets across Europe, as worries about growth and rising coronavirus cases outweighed somewhat fading concerns about Fed taper and rendered the mood cautious.
The benchmark SMI ended down by 25.47 points or 0.2% at 12,411.11, after moving between 12,398.34 and 12,494.65.
ABB, Swatch Group, Swiss Life Holding, Richemont and Nestle lost 1 to 1.3%, while Sika and Givaudan shed nearly 1% and 0.88%, respectively.
Holcim, Swiss Re and Geberit lost 0.6 to 0.72%, while Swisscom and UBS closed modestly lower.
Novartis gained 0.86% and Roche Holding climbed 0.53%. SGS and Alcom edged up marginally.
Among the stocks in the Swiss Mid Price Group, Tecan Group and Logitech both ended lower by 3.1%. Cembra Money Bank shed about 2.5%.
VAT Group, PSP Swiss Property, Sonova, Barry Callebaut, Adecco, Ems Chemie Holding, Schindler Ps and Swiss Prime Site ended lower by 1.4 to 2.1%.
Lindt & Spruengli surged up 1.1%. Temenos Group gained about 0.85%, while Straumann Holding and SIG Combibloc edged up marginally.
In economic news, The KOF Economic Barometer in Switzerland declined to 113.5 in August of 2021 from an upwardly revised 130.9 in July and below market expectations of 125.
In virus news, the US has reintroduced health warnings for Americans travelling to Switzerland, while the Swiss government is considering quarantines.
According to reports, the U.S. has raised its travel advisory levels for Switzerland because of rising Covid-19 infections rates. The US state department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned people who have been fully vaccinated of a risk of catching the virus in Switzerland due to the health situation.
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