Stock Markets July 24, 2026 12:05 PM

Amsterdam Stocks Finish Higher; AEX Climbs 0.31% Led by Basic Materials, Consumer Goods and Financials

Wolters Kluwer, RELX and Akzo Nobel top gainers as oil prices tumble and volatility stays steady

By Sofia Navarro
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The AEX index closed up 0.31% on Friday in Amsterdam, with gains concentrated in Basic Materials, Consumer Goods and Financials. Wolters Kluwer, Relx PLC and Akzo Nobel were the session's strongest performers, while Warehouses de Pauw, ASM International and IMCD recorded the largest declines. Oil prices fell sharply, gold futures ticked higher and major currency pairs were largely unchanged. AEX option-implied volatility held steady at 21.09.

Amsterdam Stocks Finish Higher; AEX Climbs 0.31% Led by Basic Materials, Consumer Goods and Financials
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Key Points

  • AEX closed up 0.31% at the Amsterdam close, with gainers outnumbering losers 57 to 36 and 11 unchanged.
  • Top individual gains were Wolters Kluwer (+4.52%), Relx PLC (+4.37%) and Akzo Nobel (+2.81%); largest declines were Warehouses de Pauw (-2.64%), ASM International (-1.63%) and IMCD (-1.34%).
  • Commodities moved sharply: US crude fell to $88.40 a barrel and Brent to $96.03 a barrel, while August Gold Futures rose to $4,078.20 an ounce; AEX option-implied volatility remained steady at 21.09.

Netherlands equities ended the trading day higher on Friday, with the benchmark AEX advancing 0.31% at the close in Amsterdam. Market breadth favored advancers, and several heavyweight names led the gains in sectors cited as contributors to the positive result.

Market movers

  • Wolters Kluwer (AS:WLSNc) was the top performer on the AEX, rising 4.52% or 2.70 points to finish at 62.46.
  • Relx PLC (AS:REL) followed with a 4.37% increase, adding 1.26 points to close the session at 30.08.
  • Akzo Nobel NV (AS:AKZO) rose 2.81% or 1.58 points to end at 57.86 in late trade.

Lagging stocks

  • Warehouses de Pauw Comm VA (EBR:WDPP) was the weakest on the session, slipping 2.64% or 0.60 points to 22.14 at the close.
  • ASM International NV (AS:ASMI) declined 1.63% or 14.20 points to close at 859.40.
  • IMCD NV (AS:IMCD) fell 1.34% or 1.20 points to finish at 88.22.

On the Amsterdam Stock Exchange overall, advancing stocks outnumbered decliners by 57 to 36, while 11 issues finished unchanged. The AEX Volatility index, which measures implied volatility in AEX options, was unchanged at 21.09, reflecting stability in option-implied risk.

Commodities and currencies

Commodity markets showed notable movement: crude oil for September delivery dropped 4.11% or $3.79 to trade at $88.40 a barrel. Brent oil for September delivery fell 4.63% or $4.66 to $96.03 a barrel. In contrast, the August Gold Futures contract rose 0.69% or $28.00 to trade at $4,078.20 a troy ounce.

Foreign exchange markets were relatively flat at the close: EUR/USD was essentially unchanged, moving 0.05% to 1.14, while EUR/GBP was up 0.13% to 0.85. The US Dollar Index Futures declined 0.09% to 101.19.


Overall, the session reflected modest gains in the Dutch market led by select large-cap names and sector strength in Basic Materials, Consumer Goods and Financials, even as energy commodity prices slipped and volatility measures remained steady.

Risks

  • Significant declines in crude and Brent oil prices - impacts energy and materials-related sectors and could influence investor sentiment in commodities-linked stocks.
  • Individual stock weakness among some mid- and large-cap names (for example WDPP, ASMI, IMCD) - presents company-specific downside risk within industrials and chemical-related sectors.
  • Relatively concentrated gains in a few sectors (Basic Materials, Consumer Goods, Financials) - suggests potential vulnerability to sector-specific shocks given mixed breadth across the market.

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