ZURICH | Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:47am EST
ZURICH Dec 20 (Reuters) - Swiss stocks were expected to open lower on Thursday as the U.S. fiscal crunch dampened risk appetite.
The Swiss blue-chip SMI was seen falling 0.5 percent to 6,912 points, according to premarket indications from bank Julius Baer.
The following are some of the main factors expected to affect Swiss stocks on Thursday.
UBS
* U.S. prosecutors charged two former UBS traders with taking part in a multi-year scheme to manipulate Libor and other benchmark interest rates, making them the first individuals to be criminally accused in the international scandal.
* Hong Kong's de facto central bank said it is investigating possible misconduct by UBS over its submission of interbank rates, raising the possibility that the bank could face another fine a day after it agreed to pay $1.5 billion for its role in the Libor scandal.
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COMPANY STATEMENTS
* Julius Baer brings forward the realignment of the Executive Boards of Julius Baer Group Ltd. and Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd to Jan. 1, 2013.
* Galenica has submitted a PA21 dossier to EMA to seek approval in the EU and is preparing further submissions for the U.S., Switzerland and Singapore.
* Evolva Holding SA had a positive meeting with the German regulatory authority BfArM regarding the further clinical steps for EV-077.
* Alpiq successfully concludes purchase contract with IWB in respect of a 15 percent participation in the Nant de Drance pumped storage power station.
* Implenia has sold investment properties in Winterthur-Neuhegi sold to Intershop.
* Partners Group's clients commit $500 million to two private real estate programmes.
* OpenTV, Inc., a Kudelski Group company, has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Netflix, Inc. in the United States District Court in Delaware, alleging that Netflix is willfully infringing seven U.S patents owned by OpenTV.
* Lifewatch AG receives No Objection Certificate from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization of the Indian Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
* Intersport PSC Holding AG posted a loss of 3.4 million Swiss francs ($3.7 million) in the full year 2011/2012 and sales fell 16 percent to 211.5 million francs.
ECONOMY
* Exports from Switzerland rose by a real 4 percent year-on-year in November to 18.776 billion Swiss francs, the Federal Customs Office said on Thursday.
($1 = 0.9118 Swiss francs)
