Stock Markets May 13, 2026 12:05 PM

AEX Climbs 1.07% as Basic Materials, Technology and Financials Lead Gains

ASML hits record highs while Wolters Kluwer slides to five-year lows; commodities and FX see modest moves

By Ajmal Hussain

Netherlands equities closed higher Wednesday, with the AEX index advancing 1.07% as gains concentrated in Basic Materials, Technology and Financials. ABN AMRO, ArcelorMittal and ASML were among the top performers, while Wolters Kluwer, Relx and Adyen weighed on the downside. Market breadth favored advancers and volatility remained steady.

AEX Climbs 1.07% as Basic Materials, Technology and Financials Lead Gains

Key Points

  • AEX closed up 1.07%, led by gains in Basic Materials, Technology and Financials.
  • Top winners were ABN AMRO (+8.65%), ArcelorMittal (+7.10%) and ASML (+4.83%); laggards included Wolters Kluwer (-6.33%), Relx (-4.67%) and Adyen (-3.16%).
  • Market breadth favored advancers (61) over decliners (39) with 7 unchanged; AEX implied volatility was unchanged at 21.09.

Market close overview

Netherlands stocks finished higher in Amsterdam on Wednesday, driven by positive moves in the Basic Materials, Technology and Financials sectors. At the close, the AEX was up 1.07%.


Top gainers and laggards

The session's strongest performers included ABN AMRO Group NV (AS:ABNd), which climbed 8.65% - a rise of 2.53 points - to end at 31.77. ArcelorMittal SA (AS:MT) added 7.10%, or 3.64 points, closing at 54.90. Technology heavyweight ASML Holding NV (AS:ASML) advanced 4.83%, up 61.20 points to finish at 1,327.00.

On the downside, Wolters Kluwer (AS:WLSNc) lost 6.33% - a drop of 3.86 points - to close at 57.10. Relx PLC (AS:REL) declined 4.67%, or 1.32 points, to 26.96, and payments group Adyen NV (AS:ADYEN) fell 3.16% - down 28.70 points - to 880.00.


Market breadth and notable records

Advancing issues outnumbered decliners on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange by 61 to 39, with 7 stocks finishing unchanged. Two notable price milestones were recorded during the session: shares of Wolters Kluwer fell to five-year lows, while ASML pushed to all-time highs.


Volatility, commodities and FX

The AEX Volatility measure, tracking implied volatility on AEX options, was unchanged at 21.09 (0.00% change).

In commodities trading, crude oil for June delivery slipped 0.24% (down 0.25) to $101.93 a barrel. Brent oil for July delivery fell 1.36%, or 1.47, to $106.30 a barrel. The June Gold Futures contract moved higher, gaining 0.44% or 20.39, to trade at $4,707.09 a troy ounce.

On currency markets, EUR/USD was listed at 1.17, showing an unchanged move of 0.23%, while EUR/GBP was at 0.87, unchanged by 0.07%. The US Dollar Index Futures was higher by 0.21%, trading at 98.39.


Research and valuation note

Is REL a bargain right now? One way the article suggests to check is via a Fair Value calculator referenced in the session coverage. That tool is described as using a combination of 17 industry valuation models to produce estimates that can be applied across a range of stocks.


Closing perspective

Wednesday's close left the AEX higher, with gains concentrated in materials, technology and financial names. While a handful of large-cap stocks posted substantial losses, overall market breadth favored advancing issues and volatility held steady.

Risks

  • Significant single-stock declines - exemplified by Wolters Kluwer's 6.33% fall to five-year lows - could weigh on Financials and information services sector sentiment.
  • Large-cap volatility amid mixed moves (ASML at all-time highs versus notable declines in other names) introduces uncertainty for index performance despite the overall advance.
  • Commodity price shifts, including declines in Brent and US crude, may influence Basic Materials and energy-related segments.

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