Stock Markets February 19, 2026

Copenhagen benchmark slides as personal goods, healthcare and financial names lose ground

OMX Copenhagen 20 ends down 1.04%; Maersk shares tick higher while ISS and Demant lead declines

By Avery Klein
Copenhagen benchmark slides as personal goods, healthcare and financial names lose ground

Denmark's OMX Copenhagen 20 closed lower on Thursday, dragged by losses across the Personal & Household Goods, Healthcare and Financials sectors. The index finished the session down 1.04% as more stocks fell than advanced on the Copenhagen exchange. Key individual moves included gains in AP Moeller - Maersk shares and notable declines in ISS A/S, Demant A/S and Zealand Pharma A/S. Commodities and currency markets moved mixed, with crude and Brent oil higher and the US Dollar Index Futures up.

Key Points

  • The OMX Copenhagen 20 fell 1.04% at the close, with sector losses concentrated in Personal & Household Goods, Healthcare and Financials.
  • Top performers included AP Moeller - Maersk A/S B (CSE:MAERSKb) and A (CSE:MAERSKa), and Vestas Wind Systems A/S (CSE:VWS); leading decliners included ISS A/S (CSE:ISS), Demant A/S (CSE:DEMANT) and Zealand Pharma A/S (CSE:ZELA).
  • Commodity and currency moves: April crude and Brent oil rose, April gold futures ticked up, USD/DKK strengthened slightly and the US Dollar Index Futures was higher.

Denmark's equity benchmark ended the trading day in negative territory on Thursday, with sector weakness concentrated in Personal & Household Goods, Healthcare and Financials pushing the market lower.

At the close in Copenhagen the OMX Copenhagen 20 fell 1.04%.

The session's strongest performers on the OMX Copenhagen 20 included AP Moeller - Maersk A/S B (CSE:MAERSKb), which rose 1.35% or 210.00 points to finish at 15,800.00. Its A-share counterpart, AP Moeller - Maersk A/S A (CSE:MAERSKa), added 1.16% or 180.00 points to end the day at 15,720.00. Vestas Wind Systems A/S (CSE:VWS) also posted a positive result, gaining 0.98% or 1.60 points to close at 159.80.

On the downside, ISS A/S (CSE:ISS) recorded the largest drop among the index members, falling 3.71% or 9.40 points to trade at 244.00 at the close. Demant A/S (CSE:DEMANT) declined 3.67% or 6.90 points to finish at 181.00, while Zealand Pharma A/S (CSE:ZELA) slipped 3.43% or 13.60 points to close at 382.80.

Market breadth was negative on the Copenhagen exchange: 80 stocks fell versus 45 that advanced, and 11 ended unchanged.


Commodities showed upward movement in energy and a modest rise in gold. Crude oil for April delivery rose 2.01% or $1.31 to $66.36 a barrel. Brent oil for April delivery climbed 1.73% or $1.22 to $71.57 a barrel. The April Gold Futures contract rose 0.21% or $10.70 to trade at $5,020.20 a troy ounce.

In currency markets USD/DKK was up 0.16% at 6.35, while EUR/DKK was unchanged 0.02% at 7.47. The US Dollar Index Futures advanced 0.21% to 97.83.


The session's price action left the Copenhagen benchmark lower on the day, with strength concentrated in select large-cap names while a greater number of constituents moved downward. The mix of sector pressure, commodity strength and currency movement framed the market's outcome.

Risks

  • Broader market weakness shown by a larger number of falling stocks (80) versus advancers (45) could signal continued downside pressure for sectors already underperforming, notably Personal & Household Goods, Healthcare and Financials.
  • Rising oil prices may affect cost structures and sentiment for energy-sensitive sectors and companies; both April crude and Brent rose on the session.
  • Currency moves, including a stronger USD/DKK and a higher US Dollar Index Futures reading, could influence export-sensitive Danish companies and cross-border earnings.

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