Swiss Market Index Bounces Back; Swissquote Group Drops
The Swiss Market Index staged a recovery on Thursday, ending the trading session 0.18% higher, amid a busy day of corporate earnings and economy-related data releases.Switzerland's producer and import price index declined by 0.1% month over month in July and by 2.1% on a yearly basis to 99.6 points, according to data from the Federal Statistical Office.Zooming out to the UK, the country's gross domestic product grew 0.4% in the second quarter, in line with market forecasts, following a 0.6% rise in the prior-three-month period.Over to corporates, Montana Aerospace's (AERO.SW) first-half consolidated net sales jumped to 518.4 million euros from the restated 464 million euros a year before, while result for the period surged to 29.7 million euros from the restated 6.4 million euros. The aerospace alloys company expressed continued confidence in achieving "sustainable profitable growth" through the remainder of 2026 and into 2027. The stock closed the session 1.93% higher."Montana Aerospace achieved a strong level of net sales growth in Q2, with Aerostructures net sales accelerating to 21% yoy - reflecting higher aircraft build rates versus 6% growth in Q1. The company appears well placed to meet its full-year guidance given the traditional seasonality, in our view; H1 2026 revenue equates to 50% of our forecast FY estimate, versus 47% at this stage last year. Guidance is unchanged for 2026 and 2027," Berenberg said in a flash note. "The company continues to guide to cEUR150m of total proceeds from the divestment of its Energy segment; net debt fell by EUR8.6m versus Q1 to EUR64.7m given no large proceeds were received in Q2, and the company guides to further proceeds being received in H2."Meanwhile, Swissquote Group (SQN.SW) saw its shares drop 13.98% after reporting a year-over-year decline in net profit for the six months ended June 30 to 153.6 million francs from 158.2 million francs due to higher depreciation costs and marketing expenses. Net revenue, in contrast, rose 1.7% to 364.2 million francs. For 2026, the banking group lowered its net revenue and pretax profit guidance to 730 million francs and 365 million francs, respectively, from the previous forecasts of 760 million francs and 385 million francs.In geopolitical news, Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority disputed President Donald Trump's claims that the US has "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz, saying the strait "remains blocked and will not be reopened until Iran's conditions are accepted," CNBC and other news outlets reported.
