Swiss Market Ends Lower For 3rd Straight Day

(RTTNews) - The Switzerland stock market extended losses to a third straight session on Friday as worries about global growth after data showed China's GDP to have grown at the slowest pace since early 1990s in the third quarter.

Doubts about the latest Brexit deal passing a vote on Saturday and continued uncertainty about U.S.-China trade agreement also weighed on stocks.

The benchmark SMI, which was in positive territory for just a few minuted around early afternoon, ended down 43.45 points, or 0.43%, at 9,965.49, slightly off the session's low.

On Thursday, the index ended down 0.23%, after declining 0.16% a session earlier.

Richemont declined 1.7% and Givaudan ended lower by 1.5%. Swatch Group, Lonza Group, Sika, Nestle, Credit Suisse and Novartis shed 0.7 to 1%.

Swisscom advanced nearly 1%, while Swiss Re ended modestly higher. Roche Holding also ended on a positive note after the company said it's Xofluza drug, used for treating patients with influenza-related complications, has bagged FDA approval.

UBS Group shares ended flat. According to reports, an Italian judge has accepted a request by UBS to pay more than 10 million euros ($11 million) to settle a money-laundering investigation.

In the midcap section, Temenos Group lost nearly 5%, extending losses from the previous session on weak guidance. AMS shed about 4.5% and Logitech International declined 2.6%

BB Biotech, Lindt & Sp, Schindler, Dorma Kaba Holding and Schindler Holding gained 0.6 to 1.4%.

Most of the markets across Europe ended weak. Among the major indices, Germany's DAX edged down 0.17%, the U.K.'s FTSE 100 shed 0.44% and France's CAC 40 declined 0.65%. The pan European Stoxx 600 ended down 0.32%.