"Everyone is looking to the U.S. as it seems to be the strongest western economy"
- Manoj Ladwa, a senior trader at ETX Capital
Swiss stocks gained for a sixth consecutive day, led by financial shares after most of the largest U.S. banks passed an annual stress test.
The Swiss blue-chip index SMI, a measure of the largest and most actively traded companies, rose 0.65%, or 40.41 points, to 6,300.43. The broader Swiss Performance Index edged higher 0.58%, or 33.32 points, to 5,773.19.
"The main factor helping banks today is the U.S. stress tests which went relatively OK -- U.S. banks seem relatively robust," said Manoj Ladwa, a senior trader at ETX Capital in London.
"Everyone is looking to the U.S. as it seems to be the strongest western economy. So if they are doing well, it's naturally going to filter through to Europe."
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