Stock Markets February 27, 2026

AEX closes higher as telecoms, industrials and consumer services lead gains

Amsterdam benchmark ticks up 0.45% with mixed individual stock moves and commodity-driven market breadth

By Priya Menon NN
AEX closes higher as telecoms, industrials and consumer services lead gains
NN

The AEX index finished the session up 0.45% as advances in Telecoms, Industrials and Consumer Services names outweighed losses among select financial and private equity-related stocks. Market breadth was positive, volatility held steady and oil prices rose during the session, while major currency pairs showed little net change.

Key Points

  • AEX closed up 0.45% as Telecoms, Industrials and Consumer Services contributed to gains.
  • Market breadth favored rising stocks with 57 advancers versus 41 decliners; notable winners included Wolters Kluwer, IMCD and KPN.
  • Commodities pushed higher during the session - Brent and US crude rose over 2% - while major euro currency pairs showed little net movement.

Netherlands equities ended the trading day in Amsterdam with modest gains on Friday, driven by strength in Telecoms, Industrials and Consumer Services sectors.

At the close, the AEX rose 0.45%.

The session's top performers included Wolters Kluwer (AS:WLSNc), which climbed 3.03% - a rise of 2.00 points to finish at 68.10. IMCD NV (AS:IMCD) added 2.70%, gaining 2.14 points to close at 81.40. Koninklijke KPN NV (AS:KPN) also recorded a notable advance, increasing 2.54% or 0.12 points to end the day at 4.80.

On the downside, NN Group NV (AS:NN) was the largest decliner among the AEX names listed, slipping 2.17% or 1.54 points to close at 69.30. CVC Capital Partners PLC (AS:CVC) fell 1.95% or 0.24 points to 12.09, and ABN AMRO Group NV (AS:ABNd) declined 1.90% or 0.55 points to finish at 28.36.

Market breadth in Amsterdam favored advancers: 57 stocks rose, 41 fell and 11 remained unchanged on the exchange.

Koninklijke KPN NV (AS:KPN) reached a multi-year milestone during the session, trading at a level described in the session as a five-year high, with the stock up 2.54% to 4.80 at the close.

Volatility measures were stable; the AEX Volatility index, reflecting implied volatility in AEX options, was unchanged at 21.09.


Commodities moved higher during the trading day. Crude oil for April delivery rose 2.27%, an increase of $1.48 to $66.69 per barrel. Brent crude for May delivery gained 2.26%, up $1.60 to $72.44 per barrel. The April Gold Futures contract advanced 1.11%, adding 57.46 to trade at 5,251.66 per troy ounce.

Currency markets showed limited change against the euro. EUR/USD was effectively unchanged at 1.18, while EUR/GBP registered no meaningful net change at 0.88. The US Dollar Index Futures moved lower by 0.19% to 97.56.


The session combined sector-led strength with isolated weakness among a handful of financial and private equity-related names, while commodities and the dollar registered small but noticeable moves that could factor into future trading dynamics.

Risks

  • Energy price swings: crude oil and Brent both rose more than 2% in the session, creating potential volatility for energy-exposed sectors and broader market sentiment.
  • Concentration in recent movers: a few individual stocks delivered outsized moves (both up and down), which can increase single-stock risk within sector performance.
  • Currency and dollar moves: even modest changes in EUR/USD and the US Dollar Index Futures can influence export-sensitive Industrials and Consumer Services names.

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