Novartis gains after raising core profit outlook
** Swiss drugmaker Novartis NOVN.S is up around 2% to the top of Switzerland's blue-chip SMI index .SSMI after raising its 2026 core operating income guidance
** Vontobel says Q3 profitability "clearly" beat consensus despite weaker contributions from genericized products including Entresto, Promacta and Tasigna
** Shares up about 16% YTD as of previous close
($1 = 0.8273 Swiss francs)