Finland's main benchmark finished the session higher on Wednesday, with sectoral strength in basic materials, utilities and oil & gas pushing the OMX Helsinki 25 to a fresh record close.
At the close in Helsinki, the OMX Helsinki 25 rose 1.69% to hit a new all time high.
Top and bottom movers
Among constituents, Stora Enso Oyj R (HE:STERV) led the winners, gaining 6.19% or 0.70 points to finish at 12.02. Two other heavyweights also posted notable advances: UPM-Kymmene Oyj (HE:UPM) added 4.86% or 1.28 points to close at 27.62, and Valmet Oyj (HE:VALMT) was up 4.86% or 1.34 points to 28.93 in late trade.
On the downside, TietoEVRY Corp (HE:TIETO) was the weakest performer on the index, falling 5.05% or 0.89 points to 16.72 at the close. Qt Group Oyj (HE:QTCOM) declined 4.69% or 1.24 points to end at 25.18, while Hiab Oyj (HE:HIAB) slipped 1.38% or 0.70 points to 50.15.
Market breadth and price extremes
Decliners outpaced advancers on the Helsinki Stock Exchange, with 104 stocks falling and 70 rising. Sixteen issues finished unchanged. The session produced some pronounced price extremes: shares of Stora Enso Oyj R (HE:STERV) moved up to 52-week highs, while shares of Qt Group Oyj (HE:QTCOM) fell to 5-year lows.
Commodities and currencies
Commodity markets were supportive for the sectors that outperformed. Brent oil for April delivery was up 1.58% or 1.09 to $69.89 a barrel. U.S. crude for March delivery rose 1.69% or 1.08 to $65.04 a barrel. The April Gold Futures contract increased 1.35% or 67.91 to trade at $5,098.91 a troy ounce.
In currency markets, the euro was largely steady against major peers. EUR/USD was unchanged 0.09% to 1.19, and EUR/GBP was unchanged 0.14% to 0.87. The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.02% at 96.69.
Takeaway
The session closed with the headline index at a record level, driven by gains in a handful of sectors and companies. While several large-cap stocks posted double-digit percentage moves relative to their recent levels, a greater number of listings declined during the session, reflecting uneven participation across the market.