Netherlands equities closed higher on Friday, with the AEX index finishing the session up 0.47% in Amsterdam. Sector gains were led by Technology, Consumer Services and Real Estate, which collectively helped lift the benchmark.
Among individual stocks, Randstad NV (AS:RAND) recorded the largest advance on the AEX, rising 5.83%, or 1.66 points, to close at 30.11. Warehouses de Pauw Comm VA (EBR:WDPP) also posted a strong performance, gaining 3.37% or 0.78 to end the day at 23.90. ASML Holding NV (AS:ASML) added 1.98%, up 23.60 points, finishing at 1,215.60 in late trade.
On the downside, Prosus (AS:PRX) led decliners among the headline names, slipping 2.64% or 1.32 points to close at 48.46. Adyen NV (AS:ADYEN) dropped 1.35%, down 17.20 points to 1,253.40, while Relx PLC (AS:REL) fell 0.46% or 0.14 to 30.08 at the close.
Market breadth favored advancing stocks, with 56 names rising compared with 42 that fell on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange; nine issues ended unchanged. The session included notable swings in extremes: Warehouses de Pauw reached new 52-week highs after its 3.37% gain to 23.90, while Relx registered a 52-week low, sliding 0.46% to 30.08.
Volatility measures remained steady for AEX options, with the AEX Volatility index unchanged at 21.09, a 0.00% move for the session.
Commodities and currencies showed mixed activity alongside equities. Crude oil for March delivery rose 0.41%, or 0.27, to $65.69 a barrel. Brent oil for April delivery was up 0.33% or 0.23, trading at $69.82 a barrel. The April Gold Futures contract registered a decline of 7.48% or 400.59 to trade at $4,954.21 a troy ounce.
In currency markets, the euro traded lower against the dollar, with EUR/USD down 0.76% to 1.19. EUR/GBP was essentially flat, recorded as unchanged at 0.09% to 0.87. The US Dollar Index Futures rose 0.66% to 96.77.
This session presented a mixed picture across sectors and instruments: selective equity gains in technology, consumer services and real estate were balanced by weakness in several large-cap stocks and a broadly steady volatility backdrop.