ZURICH/BERLIN, Dec 10 (Reuters) - The Swiss blue-chip SMI .SSMI was seen opening 0.2% lower at 10,408 points on Thursday, according to premarket indications by bank Julius Baer JBPRE01 .
Here are some of the main factors that may affect Swiss stocks:
CREDIT SUISSE CSGN.S
The lender shuts its $2 billion insurance units after withdrawals, Bloomberg reported. LHN.S
India's antitrust body conducted raids at offices of UltraTech Cement ULTC.NS and two subsidiaries of the world's largest cement maker LafargeHolcim LHN.S , two sources close to the matter told Reuters. in a statement to Reuters confirmed officials visited the Mumbai offices of ACC ACC.NS and Ambuja Cements ABUJ.NS and said the companies were fully cooperating with the authorities, but could not comment further as the matter is ongoing.
COMPANY STATEMENTS
* Meyer Burger MBTN.S said it agreed with photovoltaic manufacturer Ecosolifer to draw a line under a project from 2015. Sonova SOON.S said its U.S. subsidiary Advanced Bionics LLC has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for new sound processors. Aryzta ARYN.S said its Chief Executive Europe and member of executive committee Gregory Sklikas will cease his role with immediate effect. Blackstone (NYSE:BX) Resources's BLS.S solid-state battery project received a grant from the Swiss Innovation Agency Innosuisse, it said. Innosuisse would fund 50% of a 1.3 million Swiss francs ($1.5 million) project that aims to develop solid-state electrolytes. Zur Rose 's ROSEG.S head of German business Olaf Heinrich will leave the group, it said. His successor will be Walter Hess, currently head of the Swiss unit.
* Obseva OBSN.S announced additional phase 3 Primrose 1 and 2 study results.
* Wisekey WIHN.S appoints two new members to its advisory committee
ANALYSTS' VIEWS
NOVARTIS AG NOVN.S : JEFFERIES CUTS TARGET PRICE TO CHF 100 FROM CHF 105
ROCHE HOLDING AG ROG.S : JEFFERIES CUTS TARGET PRICE TO CHF 360 FROM CHF 385
ABB LTD ABBN.S : CITIGROUP RAISES PRICE TARGET TO CHF 33 FROM CHF 28
IDORSIA LTD IDIA.S : BAADER HELVEA STARTS WITH SELL RATING; PRICE TARGET CHF 19
CRISPR THERAPEUTICS AG CRSP.O : PIPER SANDLER RAISES TARGET PRICE TO $180 FROM $107
PARTNERS GROUP HOLDING AG PGHN.S : JP MORGAN RAISES TARGET PRICE TO CHF 1110 FROM CHF 1000
ADECCO GROUP AG ADEN.S : JP MORGAN RAISES TARGET PRICE TO CHF 61 FROM CHF 59
ARYZTA AG ARYN.S : CREDIT SUISSE RAISES PRICE TARGET TO CHF 0.50 FROM CHF 0.30
SGS SA SGSN.S : JP MORGAN RAISES TO OVERWEIGHT FROM NEUTRAL, PRICE TARGET TO CHF2900 FROM CHF2,750
ECONOMY
Switzerland will likely meet the criteria for the country to be identified as a currency manipulator by the United States in an upcoming report from the U.S. Treasury, according to people familiar with the matter. interventions by the Swiss National Bank this year to slow the appreciation of the Swiss franc will mean Switzerland will now satisfy all three criteria to be called a manipulator, the sources said.
Rail connections between Italy and Switzerland will no longer be halted due to concerns about the spread of the new coronavirus, the Italian transport ministry said.