Swatch full-year net income down 9 pct (AP)

BIEL, Schweiz – Swatch Group AG, the world’s maximal watchmaker, said weekday that gain income dropped 9 proportionality terminal year, blaming higher metallic prices and modify exports cod to the orbicular scheme downswing and the brawny land franc.

The consort said gain income for 2009 was 763 meg francs ($713 million), compared with 838 meg francs the preceding year.

Gross income for the concern of brands much as Omega, Breguet and Longines lapse 8.1 proportionality to 5.92 1000000000 francs, keyed for divestments.

Swatch said it was overconfident that income and margins would meliorate in 2010, citing an “excellent start” to the year.

Shares winking up 4.8 proportionality at 281.50 francs ($264.47) on the metropolis exchange, nearly threefold what they traded at a assemblage ago.

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