Barry Callebaut AG, the largest maker of bulk chocolate, forecast accelerating volume growth in the second half of the financial year against the backdrop of a declining market, sending the shares up the most in six years.
The quantity of products sold increased 2 percent to 893,437 metric tons in the six months ended Feb. 28, compared with a global confectionery market that shrank 1.5 percent, the Swiss company said in a statement Wednesday. Barry Callebaut also reported first-half earnings that beat analyst estimates.
The shares rose as much as 10.4 percent in Zurich, the steepest intraday gain since October 2008. They were up 9.9 percent at 1,046 swiss francs as of 12:28 p.m. in Zurich.
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