Amsterdam equities finished the trading day higher on Friday, with the AEX index up 1.04% at the close. Strength in Basic Materials, Technology and Industrials drove the advance, and the session featured a clear skew toward advancing issues on the exchange.
Market breadth and standout moves
On the Amsterdam Stock Exchange, 67 stocks advanced, 36 declined and 6 finished unchanged. The session’s strongest performer was ArcelorMittal SA (AS:MT), which climbed 4.47% - a 2.19 point gain - to close at 51.20. That move pushed ArcelorMittal to a five-year high.
- ASML Holding NV (AS:ASML) added 3.84%, gaining 44.20 points to finish at 1,193.80.
- BE Semiconductor Industries NV (AS:BESI) rose 2.95%, or 4.75 points, to end the session at 165.50.
On the downside, several stocks in information and publishing-related sectors were among the weakest performers. Wolters Kluwer (AS:WLSNc) led decliners with a 3.23% drop - down 2.26 points to 67.70 - marking a three-year low. Relx PLC (AS:REL) fell 3.01%, losing 0.78 points to close at 25.14, also a three-year low, while IMCD NV (AS:IMCD) slipped 2.86% or 2.54 points to 86.18.
Volatility and market indicators
The AEX Volatility gauge, which measures implied volatility on AEX options, was unchanged on the day at 21.09.
Commodities and currencies
Commodities were positive in late trade. Crude oil for March delivery rose 1.50%, or $0.95, to $64.24 a barrel. Brent oil for April delivery increased 1.54%, or $1.04, to $68.59 a barrel. The April gold futures contract gained 1.84%, adding $90.01 to trade at $4,979.51 a troy ounce.
On the currency front, EUR/USD was essentially flat at about 1.18, showing a change of 0.31%, while EUR/GBP remained steady near 0.87 with a 0.23% move. The U.S. Dollar Index Futures eased 0.18% to 97.53.
Summary takeaways
The session closed with the AEX higher by 1.04%, supported by sector-level strength in Basic Materials, Technology and Industrials, a positive breadth reading, and notable individual moves including a five-year peak for ArcelorMittal and three-year troughs for Wolters Kluwer and Relx.