11:49 AM EDT, 10/19/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The Swiss Market Index commenced the new trading week in the red, closing Monday's trading session 0.16% lower, as markets continue to keep an eye on geopolitical developments in the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine war, alongside the intensifying civil unrest in France. "France's political and fiscal problems gained another complication over the weekend as nationwide cost-of-living protests descended into some of the country's worst unrest in years. Around 550,000 people demonstrated on Saturday according to the Interior Ministry, although the CGT put the figure at 800,000, and the violence continued into Sunday with fresh clashes in Paris and Marseille," Deutsche Bank Research said. "With France already facing a difficult fiscal backdrop and the 2027 election approaching, the weekend adds another layer of political risk for markets." Back home, Switzerland and its fellow European Free Trade Association member states signed a free trade deal with Vietnam over the weekend, covering trade in goods and services, investment, intellectual property rights, government procurement, and sustainable development, among other areas. During his visit to Vietnam, Swiss President Guy Parmelin also signed bilateral arrangements between Switzerland and the Southeast Asian country, including two economic development cooperation projects. On the corporate front, DKSH (DKSH.SW) is expanding its healthcare business unit into the Middle East and North Africa region by agreeing to purchase Dubai-based healthcare commercialization platform NewBridge Pharmaceuticals for an enterprise value of $390 million. The deal is anticipated to complete by the end of the first quarter of 2027. The Swiss market expansion services provider's stock added 0.84% at closing. "The acquisition further strengthens our healthcare commercial outsourcing business, a strategic focus area that has been a consistent growth driver in recent years. It also represents an important step in our strategy to expand beyond Asia Pacific into structurally attractive healthcare markets and to strengthen our capabilities in rare diseases and innovative launches," DKSH Chief Executive Officer Stefan Butz said. "Together, we will be even better positioned to support multinational healthcare and biotech companies across a broader range of geographies and therapeutic areas." Meanwhile, "strategic considerations" led Novartis (NOVN.SW) to discontinue a mid-stage study evaluating the safety and efficacy of Fabhalta in treating patients with lupus nephritis. The Swiss pharmaceutical major's shares edged down 0.40% at the end of the trading session. Roche Holding (RO.SW) unit F. Hoffmann-La Roche entered a strategic license deal for antibody-drug conjugate, or ADC, programs with three units of Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group. The programs comprise two preclinical Hansoh ADCs and several others based on targets proposed by Roche. The stock closed 0.26% in the green.

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