The Switzerland stock market ended slightly up on Thursday, after moving in a tight range above the flat line right through the day's session.
The mood was cautious with investors looking for directional clues. Concerns about coronavirus cases and economic growth continued to weigh, while optimism about potential Covid-19 vaccines prevented a slide.
The benchmark SMI, which moved between 10,494.69 and a high of 10,524.82, ended the day with a small gain of 9.52 points or 0.09% at 10,497.79.
Sika gained a little over 1%, while Roche Holding ended nearly 1%. Givaudan, Nestle and Novartis posted modest gains.
Zurich Insurance Group shares slid 1.4%. Richemont, Credit Suisse, UBS Group, Swatch Group, Swiss Life Holding, Swiss Re, Geberit and SGS lost 0.5 to 1%.
Among the stocks in the Swiss Mid Price Index, SIG Combibloc rallied 3.4%, Logitech gained 2.25% and Tecan Group advanced 2%. Sonova, Dufry, OC Oerlikon Corp, Temenos Group, Vifor Pharma, Kuehne & Nagel and Gerog Fischer also ended notably higher.
Adecco, Helvetia, Baloise Holding and Cembra Money Bank drifted lower.
In Covic-19 update, the number of new cases in Switzerland rose by 4,509 on Thursday, lower than the 4,876 cases rise a day earlier. Switzerland saw 58 new deaths to coronavirus infections on Thursday, as against 85 fatalities on Wednesday.
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