"It remains unclear if the Greek tragedy has ended permanently"
- Viola Stork, an analyst at Helaba Landesbank Hessen-Thueringen
Swiss trade surplus narrowed to 1.55 billion Swiss francs in January from 2.01 billion francs in December, estimated the Federal Statistical Office. Despite the contraction, exports rose hefty 3.6 per cent, compared to the same period last year.
The Swiss blue-chip index SMI, a measure of the largest and most actively traded companies shed by 0.08%, or 5.17 points, to 6,237.82. The broader Swiss Performance Index lost 0.28%, or 15.81 points, to 5,648.68.
"It remains unclear if the Greek tragedy has ended permanently," Viola Stork, an analyst at Helaba Landesbank Hessen-Thueringen in Frankfurt, wrote in a report.
"What is decisive is not the approved reform measures and the financial assurances, but the implementation of reforms and increasing the competitiveness of the country."
© Dukascopy Bank