Swiss Market Index Closes Higher; Barry Callebaut Jumps

11:51 AM EST, 12/16/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Swiss stocks remained in the green on Tuesday, with the Swiss Market Index up 0.15% amid a quiet day of local economic news. Barry Callebaut (BARN.SW) is said to be exploring options for its global cocoa division, including a possible separation of the unit, insiders told Reuters. The plan, which is currently in the early stages, is reportedly aimed at reducing the company's exposure to volatile cocoa prices and bolstering its financial position. The Swiss chocolate and cocoa products manufacturer's shares jumped 5.80% at closing. Meanwhile, Holcim (HOLN.SW) is expanding its presence in Latin America by purchasing a majority stake in Peruvian building materials producer Cementos Pacasmayo at a valuation of $1.5 billion. The Swiss building materials group expects the value-accretive deal to complete in the first half of 2026. The stock added 1.63% at the end of the trading session. Beyond Switzerland and on the economic front, the HCOB Flash Eurozone Composite PMI Output Index declined to a three-month low of 51.9 in December from 52.8 in November, data from S&P Global and Hamburg Commercial Bank showed. "Despite the decline, the composite PMI does remain at a decent level, which indicates that the fourth quarter is likely to see positive GDP growth for the eurozone. New orders continue to grow, as does employment. Besides that, input prices continue to rise, which supports inflation at the current pace of around 2%," ING said. "Despite all the global uncertainty, the eurozone economy has kept its head above water throughout the year. While we are cautious about expecting a strong acceleration, we do expect a gradual pickup in economic growth over the course of 2026."