ZURICH/BERLIN, March 18 (Reuters) - The Swiss blue-chip
index SMI .SSMI was seen opening 3.2% lower at 8,225 points on
Wednesday, according to premarket indications by bank Julius
Baer JBPRE01 .
Here are some of the main factors that may affect Swiss
stocks:
CORONAVIRUS
Italy's prime minister declared coronavirus was causing a
"socio-economic tsunami" as European leaders agreed to seal off
external borders, but many countries thwarted solidarity by
imposing frontier curbs of their own. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2BA6VO
Imported coronavirus cases in China outnumbered cases of
location transmission for the fifth straight day as infected
travellers passed through major Chinese transportation hubs in
Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2BB0HW
SWISS LIFE SLHN.S
The insurer published its annual report. The company in
February reported a 12% rise in 2019 net profit. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL5N2AS1FB
COMPANY STATEMENTS
* ABB ABBN.S said its annual general meeting on March 26
will take place under extraordinary conditions. Shareholders are
not allowed to attend in person and are requested to vote via
independent proxy. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nFWN2BB05U
* Adecco ADEN.S published its annual report. ADEN.S
* Clariant CLN.S said that it is postponing its AGM
originally planned for March 30 due to the coronavirus epidemic
and hopes to hold it at a later date, to be announced. CLN.S
* BKW BKWB.S said that it is boosting its dividend to 2.20
francs per share, from 1.80 francs, after its net profit more
than doubled to 404 million francs. BKWB.S
* DKSH DKSH.S said it canceled its annual shareholders's
meeting and capital markets day and will reconvene both at later
dates this year. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nTENiud1ta
* Partners Group PGHN.S said it was bringing forward its
regular treasury share purchase program to benefit from the
current lower valuation of the firm's shares. PGHN.S
* Medartis MEDA.S said it nominated Marco Gadola for
election to the Board of Directors. MEDA.S
* Medacta MOVE.S said Marco Gadola would not stand for
re-election to its board of directors. MOVE.S
* Evolva EVE.S said full year revenue increased 30% to
11.6 million francs in 2019, while its operating loss narrowed.
EVE.S
* Kuros KURN.S said its orthobiologics patent portfolio
was strengthened by a U.S. patent covering the use of
PTH-containing matrices for spinal fusion KURN.S
* SGS SGSN.S said it would hold its Annual General Meeting
as scheduled on March 24, but in compliance with the Swiss
government's guidelines. SGSN.S
ANALYSTS' VIEWS
DAETWYLER DAE.S - Credit Suisse cuts target price to chf
172 from chf 209
NESTLE NESN.S - Jefferies cuts target price to chf 89 from
chf 105
PARTNERS GROUP PGHN.S : JP Morgan cuts target price to chf
850 from chf 1,015
SWISS RE SRENH.S - JP Morgan cuts target price to chf 108
from chf 120
ECONOMY
No major Swiss economic data scheduled
(Reporting by Zurich newsroom and Berlin Speed Desk)
((+41 58 306 7336; zurich.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com))
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