Stock Markets March 16, 2026

Helsinki stocks close higher as OMX Helsinki 25 rises 1.07%

Telecoms, Utilities and Consumer Services lead gains; Nokia and Fortum hit multi-year highs amid mixed breadth

By Hana Yamamoto
Helsinki stocks close higher as OMX Helsinki 25 rises 1.07%

Finnish equities ended Monday higher, with the OMX Helsinki 25 up 1.07% at the close. Telecoms, Utilities and Consumer Services were the strongest sectors. Nokia, Fortum and Orion were among the top advancers, while Qt Group, Metso and TietoEVRY finished lower. Commodity and currency markets saw declines in crude and gold alongside a firmer euro.

Key Points

  • OMX Helsinki 25 rose 1.07% at the close, led by Telecoms, Utilities and Consumer Services.
  • Nokia and Fortum were among the session’s best performers, with Nokia reaching a five-year high and Fortum a three-year high; Qt Group, Metso and TietoEVRY were the notable decliners.
  • Commodities and currencies moved notably: Brent and US crude fell, gold futures declined, EUR/USD strengthened and the US Dollar Index futures eased.

Finnish equities closed higher on Monday, driven by advances in Telecoms, Utilities and Consumer Services. At the Helsinki close, the benchmark OMX Helsinki 25 rose 1.07%.

Top-performing names in the index included Nokia Oyj (HE:NOKIA), which climbed 4.00% or 0.29 points to finish at 7.49. Fortum Oyj (HE:FORTUM) added 2.33% or 0.49 points to end at 21.50, and Orion Oyj B (HE:ORNBV) gained 1.66% or 1.15 points to close at 70.60.

On the downside, Qt Group Oyj (HE:QTCOM) fell 2.14% or 0.43 points to 19.67 at the close. Metso Oyj (HE:METSO) slipped 0.74% or 0.12 points to 15.34, and TietoEVRY Corp (HE:TIETO) was down 0.59% or 0.11 points to 18.45.

Market breadth was essentially balanced, with rising stocks narrowly outnumbering decliners on the Helsinki Stock Exchange by 86 to 85, while 20 issues finished unchanged.

Notable intraday milestones included Nokia reaching its highest levels in five years, with the stock up 4.00% to 7.49. Fortum also traded at multi-year strength, closing at a three-year high of 21.50 after a 2.33% gain.


Commodities and currencies

Commodity markets were weaker on the session. Brent oil for May delivery declined 0.98% or 1.01 to settle at $102.13 a barrel. US crude for May delivery fell 2.42% or 2.34 to $94.50 a barrel. April gold futures dropped 1.27% or 64.34 to trade at 4,997.36 a troy ounce.

In currency markets, EUR/USD rose 0.68% to 1.15, while EUR/GBP was essentially unchanged, moving 0.09% to 0.86. The US Dollar Index futures was down 0.47% at 99.64.


Additional note

An AI-driven ProPicks service referenced performance figures for model portfolios, noting year-to-date results in which two out of three global portfolios were outperforming their benchmark indexes and 88% of portfolios were in positive territory. The service also highlighted a flagship technology-focused strategy that it reported had doubled the S&P 500 within an 18-month period, referencing historical winners it identified.

The Helsinki market closed with a modestly positive tone, but breadth and selective declines among industrial and technology-related names left a mixed intraday picture.

Risks

  • Narrow market breadth - advancing versus declining issues were almost even (86 up, 85 down), indicating limited breadth behind the index’s gain; this affects overall market stability and sectors sensitive to broad participation.
  • Commodity price declines - lower crude and gold prices introduce uncertainty for energy and materials-related companies and could influence sector performance.
  • Limited directional conviction - despite headline gains, several large-cap names declined, leaving the market with a mixed intraday profile and potential volatility in sector-level performance.

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