\n<\/p>\n
The Switzerland stock market ended modestly higher on Friday despite staying sluggish for much of the day’s session.<\/p>\n
Optimism about global economic recovery supported the market, although worries about rising coronavirus<\/span> cases and lockdown restrictions limited its gains.<\/p>\n The benchmark SMI ended up by 31.64 points or 0.28% at 11,238.52 after hitting a fresh high of 11,247.01.<\/p>\n Lonza Group shares gained nearly 2%. Givaudan moved up 1.7% and ABB gained about 1.25%. LafargeHolcim ended 0.9% up.<\/p>\n Geberit, Partners Group, Roche Holding, Nestle, Sika, SGS and Swiss Life Holding gained 0.5 to 0.9%.<\/p>\n Zurich Insurance Group ended 4.7% down and Credit Suisse shed 2.3%.<\/p>\n In the midcap section, VAT Group and Tecan Group gained 2.5% and 2.2%, respectively. Straumann Holding, Kuehne & Nagel, Georg Fischer and Sonova ended higher by 1 to 1.6%, while AMS ended 2.3% down.<\/p>\n In economic news, Switzerland’s jobless rate decreased in March, falling a seasonally adjusted 3.4% from 3.6% in February, data from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs showed. Economists had expected a rate of 3.6%.<\/p>\n On an unadjusted basis, the unemployment rate fell to 3.3% in March from 3.4% in the previous month. Economists had forecast a rate of 3.6%.<\/p>\n The number of registered unemployed declined to 157,968 in March from 167,953 in the preceding month. The unemployment rate among the youth aged between 15 and 24, decreased to 3% in March from 3.5% in the prior month. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Market Analysis<\/p>\n<\/div>\n