Madrid - Spanish equities closed higher on Tuesday as sector strength in Chemical, Petroleum & Plastic, Building & Construction and Consumer Services supported a broad advance across the market. At the end of trading, the IBEX 35 had climbed 0.92%.
Among individual movers, Corporacion Acciona Energias Renovables SA (BME:ANE) led the gains on the index, finishing the day up 3.67% - a rise of 0.76 points to close at 21.48. Oil major Repsol (BME:REP) also posted a strong performance, adding 3.52% or 0.82 points to end at 24.14. Real estate firm Merlin Properties SA (BME:MRL) rose 2.95%, gaining 0.41 points to finish the session at 14.33.
On the downside, Indra A (BME:IDR) was the weakest member of the IBEX 35, falling 4.19% or 2.50 points to close at 57.10. Banco de Sabadell SA (BME:SABE) slipped 0.53% or 0.02 points to end at 3.03, while Grifols SA (BME:GRLS) declined 0.45% or 0.04 points to 9.27 at the close.
Market breadth in Madrid favored advances: 117 stocks rose, 71 fell, and 21 finished unchanged on the session.
Notably, shares of Repsol reached five-year highs during the trading day, closing up 3.52% or 0.82 at 24.14.
Commodity markets showed upward moves as well. Gold Futures for April delivery were up 0.17% or 8.44 to $5,010.64 a troy ounce. In crude markets, the May WTI contract rose 2.63% or 2.43 to $94.89 a barrel, while the May Brent contract increased 2.42% or 2.43 to trade at $102.64 a barrel.
Currency and dollar benchmarks were relatively steady. EUR/USD was essentially unchanged, quoted at 1.15 with a 0.23% notation, while EUR/GBP was unchanged at 0.86. The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.12% at 99.35.
This session's price action highlights pockets of strength across energy, construction-related equities and consumer services, with select technology, banking and healthcare names lagging the market advance.