"The good U.S. numbers gave the market a major boost at the start of the day"
- Benno Galliker, a trader at Luzerner Kantonalbank AG
Swiss stocks rose on Wednesday, after a report showed U.S. manufacturing expanded.
The Swiss blue-chip index SMI, a measure of the largest and most actively traded companies, gained 0.20%, or 12.43 points, to 6,108.77. The broader Swiss Performance Index added 0.19%, or 10.86 points, to 5,708.26.
"The good U.S. numbers gave the market a major boost at the start of the day," said Benno Galliker, a trader at Luzerner Kantonalbank AG in Lucerne, Switzerland.
"Rather weak data from Germany, Italy and Switzerland have damped the euphoria a little. In addition, one must note that fresh money often flows into the markets at the beginning of the month."
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