BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The Swiss stock market ended the first day of the new trading week with a very slight gain. After a weak start, the market pared its early losses and turned positive around midday. Despite a pullback in late trade, the market managed to cling to a small increase.
Investors were in a cautious mood due to the results of the German election over the weekend. German Chancellor Angela Merkel won a fourth term in office on Sunday, but will have to govern with a far less stable coalition. French President Emmanuel Macron also suffered a defeat at the Senate elections on Sunday.
The Swiss Market Index increased by 0.04 percent Monday and finished at 9,140.47. The Swiss Leader Index dropped 0.30 percent, but the Swiss Performance Index rose 0.04 percent.
Aryzta was the top gainer of the session, with an increase of 4.8 percent. The bakery group reported full year figures.
The index heavyweights all finished in the green Monday. Roche climbed 0.8 percent and Novartis added 0.5 percent. Shares of Nestlé also finished higher by 0.7 percent.
Vifor advanced 1.4 percent and Swisscom rose 1.0 percent. An investor meeting will be held at Vifor on Wednesday.
ABB ended the session unchanged after General Electric Co agreed to sell its industrial solutions unit to the Swiss engineering firm in a deal valued at $2.6 billion.
LafargeHolcim was among the weakest performing stocks of the session, falling 4.6 percent. Credit Suisse and UBS dropped 1.3 percent and 0.9 percent respectively.
Logitech weakened by 2.4 percent, Swiss Life declined 1.3 percent and Clariant lost 1.0 percent.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX