Finnish equities ended lower on Wednesday, with the OMX Helsinki 25 sliding 1.17% at the close in Helsinki as declines concentrated in the Telecoms, Technology and Healthcare sectors.
Market participants saw uneven performance across individual names. The session's top performers on the OMX Helsinki 25 were led by Kojamo (HE:KOJAMO), which gained 1.28% to finish at 9.87. Kesko Oyj (HE:KESKOB) advanced 0.67% to close at 21.00, while Huhtamaki Oyj (HE:HUH1V) added 0.53% to end the session at 30.28.
At the other end of the index, Nokia Oyj (HE:NOKIA) posted the largest decline, falling 3.98% to 5.65. Nokian Renkaat Oyj (HE:TYRES) dropped 3.56% to 11.11, and Orion Oyj B (HE:ORNBV) slipped 3.02% to close at 70.65.
- Advancers: Kojamo (HE:KOJAMO) +1.28% to 9.87; Kesko Oyj (HE:KESKOB) +0.67% to 21.00; Huhtamaki Oyj (HE:HUH1V) +0.53% to 30.28.
- Decliners: Nokia Oyj (HE:NOKIA) -3.98% to 5.65; Nokian Renkaat Oyj (HE:TYRES) -3.56% to 11.11; Orion Oyj B (HE:ORNBV) -3.02% to 70.65.
On a breadth basis, falling issues outnumbered rising ones on the Helsinki Stock Exchange by 106 to 66, while 16 stocks finished unchanged.
Commodities showed mixed movement in conjunction with the equity session. Brent oil for April delivery rose 0.44% to $66.88 per barrel. U.S. crude for March delivery climbed 0.54% to $62.73 per barrel. The April Gold Futures contract recorded a notable increase of 4.19%, trading at 5,334.94 a troy ounce.
Currency markets also moved during the session. The euro traded lower against the dollar, with EUR/USD down 0.83% to 1.19. EUR/GBP was effectively unchanged, quoted at 0.87. The U.S. Dollar Index Futures strengthened modestly, up 0.27% at 96.31.
The combination of sector-specific declines, a larger number of losing stocks than winners, and concurrent moves in commodities and currencies framed a broadly negative close for the Helsinki benchmark on Wednesday.