The Swiss stock market opened sharply higher on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran. Despite continued volatility, investors were expected to regain their appetite for risk. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox This easing, though fragile, is “allowing a quick return of risk appetite, which should support cyclical stocks and sectors most exposed to energy prices,” says John Plassard, a partner at Cité Gestion. He cautions, however, that the rally rests on assumptions of stabilisation that remain highly uncertain, meaning market volatility is likely to stay elevated in the sessions ahead. Thomas Gitzel, chief economist at VP Bank, says the sharp fall in oil prices offers particular grounds for optimism. “It gives us hope that the rise in inflation will prove short‑lived,” he says. “If oil prices were to stabilise over the longer term, central banks might also hold back from the much‑feared interest rate rises.” ...
