Ascom, Nestle, Novartis and UBS: Swiss Equity Market Preview

By Joseph Heaven

Nov. 17 (Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies whose shares may have unusual price changes in Zurich. Stock symbols are in parentheses after company names. Share prices are from the last close.

The Swiss Market Index of the biggest and most actively traded companies increased 94.71, or 1.7 percent, to 5,834.75. The broader Swiss Performance Index rose 72.98, or 1.5 percent, to 4,797.2.

Ascom Holding AG (ASCN SW): ``Operative development'' at the maker of communication systems for hospitals and trains is turning out ``as communicated'' for 2008, Finanz & Wirtschaft newspaper said, citing an interview with Chief Executive Officer Riet Cadonau. The shares were unchanged at 7.3 francs.

Nestle SA (NESN VX): The world's biggest food company and its Osem Investments Ltd. unit will buy FoodTech International Inc., a U.S. maker of meat-substitute products, for $20 million. Nestle stock added 54 centimes, or 1.2 percent, to 45.56 francs.

Novartis AG (NOVN VX): Lamisil, an antifungal medicine made by Switzerland's biggest drugmaker, should be watched for potential risks in children, U.S. regulators said in safety reviews posted on an agency Web site. The stock added 1 franc, or 1.7 percent, to 58.9 francs.

UBS AG (UBSN VX): The European bank hardest hit by subprime- related losses will hold an investor vote on a compensation system that would lock in managers' bonuses for at least three years to see if profit were sustainable, Sonntag said.

Separately, Dow Jones reported that UBS's wealth-management unit hired 20 advisers from Merrill Lynch & Co.

USB shares fell 58 centimes, or 3.9 percent, to 14.5 francs.

To contact the reporter on this story: Joseph Heaven in Zurich at jheaven1@bloomberg.net