Finnish equities ended the Wednesday session on an upward note, with the benchmark OMX Helsinki 25 rising 0.77% at the close in Helsinki. The market advance was driven by positive moves in the Industrials, Consumer Services and Financials sectors.
Top performers
The session's largest gainer was SSAB AB B (HE:SSABBH), which climbed 4.76% - an increase of 0.37 points - to finish at 8.09. Outokumpu Oyj (HE:OUT1V) added 3.64%, or 0.20 points, closing at 5.69. Wartsila Oyj Abp (HE:WRT1V) also registered solid gains, rising 3.18% or 1.07 points to end the day at 34.68.
Lagging names
On the downside, Fortum Oyj (HE:FORTUM) led decliners, slipping 2.00% - a drop of 0.42 points - to close at 20.59. Neste Oyj (HE:NESTE) fell 1.42%, or 0.41 points, to 28.45, while UPM-Kymmene Oyj (HE:UPM) declined 1.25%, or 0.32 points, to end at 25.31.
Market breadth
Advancing issues outnumbered decliners on the Helsinki Stock Exchange by 100 to 62, with 24 stocks finishing unchanged, reflecting a session where gains were more widespread than losses.
Commodities and currencies
Commodities trading showed pronounced moves during the session. Brent oil for July delivery fell 5.57%, or $6.24, to trade at $105.86 a barrel. U.S. crude for July delivery dropped 4.88%, or $5.09, to $99.29 a barrel. Gold futures for June declined 0.56%, or $25.53, to $4,532.47 per troy ounce.
In currency markets, EUR/USD was effectively unchanged, moving 0.14% to 1.16, while EUR/GBP was unchanged at 0.86, a 0.17% move reported in the session. The US Dollar Index Futures edged down 0.04% to 99.07.
Session wrap
Overall, the Helsinki market closed higher with the OMX Helsinki 25 up 0.77%. Several industrial and materials names led the advance, while select energy and forestry-related stocks posted declines. Commodities, particularly oil, experienced notable weakness during the session, and currency indicators remained relatively stable.