Zurich (AWP) – The Swiss Stock Exchange started the last session of the week on the right foot, the SMI being located Thursday morning in the green zone, teasing the bar of 12,000 points. The business results season continues to beat up, including Holcim’s half -year figures.
In the United States, Wall Street closed mixed on Wednesday, after the decision of the American Federal Reserve (Fed) to maintain its unchanged interest rates. After a session overall in the green, the Dow Jones finished decreasing 0.38% and the enlarged S&P 500 index lost 0.12%. Only the NASDAQ index managed to end in small increase (+0.15%).
The Fed’s decision was not a surprise for most analysts. “In the future, the majority of experts do not provide for a rapid drop in interest rates. If the next labor market reports remain solid and inflation rates do not drop, there will probably be no drop in interest rates in September,” said experts from the Raiffeisen bank. A scenario that disappoints certain American investors, especially since President Donald Trump puts pressure for a more marked monetary easing. So far, Jerome Powell, the president of the Fed, remains adamant.
“The Fed clearly signals an orientation towards a softening of its monetary policy by highlighting the rising risks weighing on growth and the labor market, while affirming that, according to its basic scenario, the inflationary impact of customs tariffs will be temporary,” said Jean Boivin, director general of Blackrock Investment Institute.
In Switzerland, retail sales increased in June 3.3% over a year in nominal terms, according to the Federal Statistics Office (FSA). And, revenue from the tertiary sector decreased by 3.1% in May.
On the Swiss scholarship, around 9:30 am, the SMI star index climbed 0.33% to 11,972.63 points, after closing on Wednesday evening with a decline of 0.23%. The SLI took 0.17% at 1991.03 points and the SPI gained 0.32% at 16,709.73 points. Out of the thirty-one star values, ten retreated and twenty-one advanced.
ABB (+1.6%) took the lead in the provisional classification. Lonza (+1.6%) and Geberit (+1.4%) completed the podium.
The chocolate medal was allocated to Holcim (+1.0%). The building materials giant has suffered from exchange effects, but profitability has gone over the first six months of 2025.
Heavy goods vehicles on the Roche (+0.8%) and Novartis (+0.8%) rating also expanded their earnings.
On the losers side, we found Sika (-0.3%), Amrize (-0.6%) and UBS (-1.3%), which fell in the background. The red lantern returned to Straumann (-5.2%).
On the extended market, Clariant (-0.5%) began the market session in the red. The specialties chemist has revised his growth forecasts for the current year, after a difficult second quarter. Committed to a vast saving program, the group also bified 200 positions.
AMS OSRAM (-3.3%) plunged. The Austro-German giant of semiconductors and photonics recorded an improved net profit in the second quarter of 2025.
Interroll (-8.4%) also sank into the negative. The equipment supplier of sorting centers reported a lower net profit but in stable command entries in the first half.
Comet was drinking the cup (-16.8%). The X -ray specialist and radiofrequency systems saw its semi -annual key figures, however sharp rise, come out below expectations.
Kardex (+8.7%) flew. The intralogistic specialist has garnered an increased turnover over the first six months of the year.
Avolta (+0.8%) won the field. The retailer for travelers claimed in the 1st semester an progression on almost all its markets, activity in the United States still suffering from lower passenger traffic.
Finally, Medacta (+3.8%) also expanded its earnings. The Ticino supplier of orthopedic surgery has displayed strong growth from January to June and raises its annual ambitions as well as in the medium term.
CW / one