Swiss stocks - Factors to watch on Aug 27

ZURICH, Aug 27 - Swiss stocks are set to tick down on Friday tracking losses on Wall Street.

The Swiss blue-chip index SMI.SSMI was indicated to dip 13 points at the open to 6,119 points, premarket data provided by bank Clariden Leu showed.CLPRE

The following are some of the main factors expected to affect Swiss stocks on Friday:

UBS(UBSN.VX)

UBS moved a step closer to putting its U.S. tax-evasion scandal behind it as U.S. authorities said they will soon close a tax fraud case that threatened to bring the banking giant to its knees.

For related news, click on [UBSN.VX]

ROCHE (ROG.VX)

Roche said that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Refuse to File letter for accelerated approval for the company's trastuzumab-DM1 (T-DM1) Biologics License Application (BLA).

For related news, click on [ROG.VX]

NOVARTIS (NOVN.VX)

* The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Tekamlo (aliskiren and amlodipine) tablets, a single-pill for the treatment of high blood pressure combining the only approved direct renin inhibitor, Tekturna with the widely used calcium channel blocker, amlodipine, Novartis said.

* The Swiss health authority Swissmedic has granted approval for Tasigna 300 mg twice daily for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) in chronic phase.

For related news, click on [NOVN.VX]

PETROPLUS PPHN.VX

PBF Energy Partners LP, led by Petroplus chairman Tom O'Malley, plans to restart the shuttered 182,200 barrel per day (bpd) Delware City, Delaware, refinery in the spring of 2011, after completing a plantwide overhaul, a company spokesman said on Thursday.

For related news, click on [PPHN.VX]

ECONOMY [M-CH]

Switzerland's leading growth barometer, the KOF, for August is due at 0930 GMT. Economists expect a dip to 2.20 from 2.23.ECONCV

COMPANY STATEMENTS [CNR-CH]

* Basilea (BSLN.S) entered a distribution agreement with Actelion (ATLN.VX) for Toctino in Canada [BSLN.S][ATLN.VX]

* ABB (ABBN.VX) says Tarak Mehta, the global head of ABB's Transformers business, has been appointed to ABB's Executive Committee as head of the Low Voltage Products division as of Oct. 1, 2010 [ABBN.VX]

* Adval Tech (ADVN.S) reports return to positive operating earnings [ADVN.S]

* Vetropack (VET.S) reported increased sales, stable revenues, solid financing [VET.S]

* Elma Electronic (ELMN.S) reported a first half after tax profit of 1.2 mln Sfr vs a loss of 2.2 mln Sfr in 2009.[ELMN.S]

* Intershop Holding (IS.S) reported first half profit rose 17 pct to 25.2 mln Sfr.[IS.S]

EQUITY RESEARCH [CH-RCH]

FOR COMPANIES TRADING EX-DIVIDEND, PLEASE CLICK ON:

.EX.S for all Swiss stocks

.EXSMI.S for blue chips

.EXNSMI.S for other stocks