Swiss Stocks Rise As Russia Votes To Annex Crimea

(RTTNews) - Swiss stocks were slightly positive all day Friday, bolstered by hopes for a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine crisis.

Russian lawmakers finalized the annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region, just as the prime minister of Ukraine signed a trade pact with the European Union.

The Swiss Market Index (SMI) rose by 0.34 percent to 8,289.76 points, for a weekly gain of 2.2 percent.

Nestle and diversified German healthcare group Fresenius are among the four groups that have shown interest in buying the Medical Nutrition unit of France's Danone, a French paper reports. Nestle shares rose 0.46 percent.

Novartis has started enrolling patients for a new head-to-head Phase III study of its experimental arthritis drug secukinumab. Novartis stock was up 0.76 percent.

Richemont said its general counsel Albert Kaufmann will retire from the group's management committee. Shares rose 0.30 percent.

Interroll posted a 6 percent increase in net profit to 20.5 million francs. Shares gained 2.7 percent.