Stock Markets February 23, 2026

Copenhagen equities slide as OMX Copenhagen 20 posts sharp drop; Novo Nordisk plunges to three-year low

Healthcare, consumer goods and tech losses weigh on the benchmark while commodities and FX show mixed moves

By Marcus Reed FLS
Copenhagen equities slide as OMX Copenhagen 20 posts sharp drop; Novo Nordisk plunges to three-year low
FLS

Equities in Denmark closed lower Monday with the OMX Copenhagen 20 tumbling 7.22% to a six-month low. Weakness was concentrated in the Healthcare, Personal & Household Goods and Technology sectors. Market breadth was heavily negative, and notable moves in commodities and currencies accompanied the equity sell-off.

Key Points

  • The OMX Copenhagen 20 declined 7.22%, closing at a six-month low.
  • Major sector pressure came from Healthcare, Personal & Household Goods and Technology.
  • Market breadth was negative with 98 decliners versus 27 advancers; commodities and FX showed mixed movements.

Stocks in Denmark finished the trading session lower on Monday, with losses concentrated in Healthcare, Personal & Household Goods and Technology stocks pulling the benchmark down.

At the close in Copenhagen, the OMX Copenhagen 20 retreated 7.22% to register a new six-month low.

Among the index constituents, the sessions strongest performers included FLSmidth & Co. (CSE:FLS), which advanced 0.92% or 5.00 points to close at 551.00. Tryg A/S (CSE:TRYG) rose 0.51% or 0.80 points to finish at 156.70, and Carlsberg A/S B (CSE:CARLb) added 0.36% or 3.60 points to end the day at 1,000.00.

By contrast, the heaviest declines were recorded in a number of large-cap names. Novo Nordisk A/S Class B (CSE:NOVOb) tumbled 16.48% or 49.60 points, ending the session at 251.40 and reaching a three-year low. Pandora A/S (CSE:PNDORA) slipped 5.08% or 27.80 points to close at 519.60, while AP Moeller - Maersk A/S A (CSE:MAERSKa) fell 4.14% or 660.00 points to finish at 15,270.00.

Market breadth on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange was markedly negative, with 98 issues declining versus 27 advancing and 14 unchanged.

In commodities trading, crude oil for April delivery rose 0.30% or 0.20 to $66.68 per barrel. Brent oil for May delivery gained 0.27% or 0.19 to $71.49 a barrel. The April Gold Futures contract recorded a larger move, increasing 2.95% or 149.90 to trade at 5,230.80 per troy ounce.

Currency markets showed small shifts: USD/DKK traded down 0.16% to 6.33, while EUR/DKK was effectively unchanged, moving 0.01% to 7.47. The US Dollar Index Futures was lower by 0.20%, at 97.54.


Summary of session

  • OMX Copenhagen 20 fell 7.22% to a six-month low.
  • Decliners outnumbered advancers 98 to 27, with 14 unchanged.
  • Novo Nordisk Class B dropped 16.48% to a three-year low of 251.40.

Market context

Mondays trading saw defensive and consumer sectors among those cited as contributing to the downturn in the benchmark. The session also included modest gains in oil benchmarks and a notable uptick in gold futures, while the Danish krone's exchanges against the US dollar and euro moved only marginally.

Risks

  • A sharp fall in a large healthcare constituent reached a three-year low, highlighting downside risk for the Healthcare sector.
  • Broad negative market breadth - with far more falling stocks than advancing - signals elevated downside pressure across Danish equities.
  • Volatility in commodity prices, exemplified by a sizeable rise in gold futures, could add uncertainty to market sentiment across multiple sectors.

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