Swiss SMI up 0.2% pre-market as 18 of 20 components rise

The Swiss benchmark SMI advanced 0.2 percent pre-market on Thursday, with 18 of its 20 constituent stocks trading higher, following a sharp drop the previous day. The index opened at 13,830.00 points, though Alcon saw the largest pre-market decline at 1.3 percent, while Amrize fell 0.4 percent. ABB was the top performer with a 0.7 percent gain. The broader market index rose 0.3 percent pre-market, with Adecco (+2.1 percent) and Bachem (+2.1 percent) leading gains. The IG Bank forecasted a 0.1 percent decline in the SMI’s opening value, following a 1.8 percent loss on Wednesday. Geopolitical tensions and rising oil prices weighed on Asian markets, with the Nikkei 225 down 0.8 percent in Tokyo and Shanghai’s Composite Index falling 0.1 percent. The conflict in the Middle East—including attacks by Iran on shipping near the Strait of Hormuz and U.S. strikes on Iranian oil tankers—fueled concerns about global supply disruptions and elevated crude prices. The Brent crude benchmark settled 0.2 percent lower at $101.03 per barrel, though it remained above $100, while WTI crude rose 0.2 percent to $96.22 per barrel. Meanwhile, U.S. markets showed mixed performance, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 0.77 percent and the S&P 500 off nearly 0.5 percent. The Nasdaq Composite declined 0.29 percent, though tech stocks like AMD, Marvell Technology, and Micron gained between 1.5 and 4.3 percent. Meta’s KI-focused announcement drove its shares up 6.6 percent, though rivals like Alphabet and Apple underperformed. Oil-related stocks, including Chevron and ExxonMobil, rose as Brent crude approached $100 for the first time since July. In China, UBS announced the closure of its Shenzhen fund distribution unit, citing market competition. Investors remained cautious ahead of key data releases, including U.S. inflation figures and ECB policy decisions, while geopolitical risks and rising energy costs continued to shape market sentiment.