Swiss Stocks Up A Smidge, Led By Holcim

(RTTNews) - Swiss stocks crept slightly higher Wednesday, led by cement giant Holcim and luxury good maker Richemont.

The Swiss Market Index rose 0.12 percent to 8,983.52, failing to hold the 9,000 mark for a second day in a row.

Holcim shares rose 1.3 percent, having earning competition board clearance for its merger with LaFarge.

Holcim said Javier de Benito, currently area manager for Africa Middle East and member of senior management, had decided to leave the company effective Jan. 1. He will be replaced by Holcim Morocco Chief Executive Dominique Drouet.

Basilea said data on its investigational phase 2a anti-cancer drug candidate BAL101553 will be presented on Wednesday at the 26th EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium. Shares rose 2.3 percent.

Earlier in the week, Roche announced that the U.S. FDA approved Avastin (bevacizumab) in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of women with platinum-resistant, recurrent ovarian cancer. Shares rose 0.7 percent.