Stock Markets March 2, 2026

Amsterdam Stocks Fall as Industrials, Healthcare and Materials Drag AEX Down 1.06%

Shell climbs to multi-year highs while energy and currency moves accompany a broad market decline

By Jordan Park SHEL
Amsterdam Stocks Fall as Industrials, Healthcare and Materials Drag AEX Down 1.06%
SHEL

Amsterdam equities closed lower on Monday, with the AEX index down 1.06% after losses in Industrials, Healthcare and Basic Materials. Shell led gainers, reaching five-year highs, while IMCD, Akzo Nobel and Randstad were among the heaviest decliners. Oil and gold prices advanced and the US dollar gained against major currencies.

Key Points

  • AEX closed down 1.06% following losses in Industrials, Healthcare and Basic Materials sectors.
  • Shell PLC was the top performer on the AEX, rising 2.66% and reaching five-year highs; leading gainers also included Relx PLC and Jde Peets Nv.
  • Commodities strengthened during the session - April crude rose to $70.67 a barrel, Brent to $77.19 a barrel, and April Gold Futures advanced to $5,316.41 an ounce - while the US dollar firmed.

Netherlands stocks finished the Monday session in negative territory as losses across Industrials, Healthcare and Basic Materials pressured the market. At the close in Amsterdam, the AEX index declined 1.06%.

The day's strongest performers on the AEX included Shell PLC (AS:SHEL), which advanced 2.66% - adding 0.93 points to finish at 35.93. Relx PLC (AS:REL) rose 0.20% or 0.06 points to close at 29.48, and Jde Peets Nv (AS:JDEP) gained 0.19% or 0.06 points to end the session at 31.76.

On the downside, IMCD NV (AS:IMCD) registered the steepest loss among AEX constituents, dropping 4.91% or 4.00 points to 77.40 at the close. Akzo Nobel NV (AS:AKZO) fell 4.09% or 2.44 points to finish at 57.18, while Randstad NV (AS:RAND) declined 4.02% or 1.12 points to close at 26.71.

Market breadth was tilted toward decliners at the Amsterdam Stock Exchange, where falling stocks outnumbered advancing issues by 84 to 17, and 5 shares ended unchanged.

Shares of Shell PLC reached five-year highs in the session, climbing 2.66% to 35.93. The AEX Volatility index - which measures the implied volatility of AEX options - was unchanged, holding at 21.09.

Commodity markets moved notably during the trading day. Crude oil for April delivery rose 5.45% or 3.65 to trade at $70.67 a barrel. Brent oil for May delivery increased 5.93% or 4.32 to $77.19 a barrel. Precious metals also moved higher, with the April Gold Futures contract up 1.31% or 68.51 to trade at $5,316.41 a troy ounce.

Currency markets reflected a stronger dollar and softer euro. EUR/USD declined 1.02% to 1.17, while EUR/GBP was unchanged 0.38% at 0.87. The US Dollar Index Futures rose 1.00% to 98.54.


Overall, the session combined sector-specific weakness with broad commodity strength, contributing to the AEX's 1.06% drop. Energy-linked names showed relative strength even as industrial and materials-related stocks weighed on the benchmark.

Risks

  • Market breadth showed a pronounced skew toward decliners - 84 stocks fell versus 17 advancers - indicating potential near-term downside pressure for equity sectors such as Industrials, Healthcare and Basic Materials.
  • Volatile moves in commodity prices, with crude oil and Brent both up by more than 5%, introduce uncertainty for energy-exposed and materials sectors.
  • Currency shifts - notably a 1.02% drop in EUR/USD and a stronger US Dollar Index Futures - could affect exporters and import-sensitive sectors.

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