BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - After opening higher and holding in positive territory till an hour past noon, the Swiss market slipped into the red and stayed sluggish before finally settling with a small loss on Tuesday.
The mood was cautious due to growth worries and a lack of positive triggers from the domestic front.
The benchmark SMI ended down 6.08 points, or 0.06%, at 9,991.31. The index, which advanced to 10,044.86 in early trades, declined to a low of 9,977.78 later on in the session.
On Monday, the SMI ended down 59.44 points, or 0.59%, at 9,997.39.
Adecco, Swiss Life Holding, Zurich Insurance Group, LafargeHolcim and Credit Suisse ended lower by 1 to 1.3%.
UBS Group and Banco do Brasil SA signed a preliminary agreement on Monday to create a joint venture in investment banking in South America, according to a filing by the Brazilian bank. Shares of UBS Group were down by about 0.27% in today's session.
Novartis shares ended flat after the company said that its Sandoz unit issued a voluntary recall of Ranitidine hydrochloride capsules.
Sika, Swatch Group and Richemont ended modestly lower, while Nestle gained about 1%.
Among Swiss Mid Price index stocks, BB Biotech, Partners Group, Swiss Prime Site and OC Oerlikon Corp shed 1 to 1.7%.
Flughafen Zurich, Sonova, Lindt & Spruengli, VAT Group, Straumann Holding and Sunrise Communications gained 1 to 1.2%.
The major markets in Europe ended slightly weak. France's CAC 40 ended down 0.04%, while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 and Germany's DAX declined 0.47% and 0.29%, respectively. The pan European Stoxx 600 edged up 0.01%.
Other markets in Europe ended mixed.
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