The Spanish stock market closed notably higher on Thursday, with the benchmark IBEX 35 index climbing 1.28% by the end of the trading session in Madrid. Investor enthusiasm was supported chiefly by robust gains in sectors including Financial Services & Real Estate, Consumer Services, as well as Building & Construction.
Among the top performers was ArcelorMittal SA, whose shares surged by 6.34%, equivalent to a 2.76-point increase, settling at 46.32 and marking a five-year peak for the steel manufacturing giant. Puig Brands SA also demonstrated significant strength, advancing 4.42% or 0.71 points to close at 16.76, reflecting solid investor demand in the consumer goods segment. Additionally, Acerinox's stock appreciated by 4.19%, up 0.54 points to 13.43, reflecting positive momentum in the building materials industry.
Conversely, shares in Repsol declined by 2.76% or 0.44 points, ending at 15.69, highlighting pressure in the energy sector. Bankinter's stock fell 1.72% or 0.25 points to 13.98, while Amadeus IT shares contracted slightly by 0.24% to 57.62, reaching a 52-week low. The broader market reflected this dynamic, with rising stocks outnumbering those that fell by 161 to 35, complemented by 20 shares with unchanged prices.
Commodity markets presented mixed signals: February Gold Futures rose by 0.88% to $4,880.05 per troy ounce, while crude oil prices softened. March West Texas Intermediate crude fell 1.93% to $59.45 per barrel, and Brent crude experienced a 1.81% decline to $64.06 per barrel. Currency trading indicated stability in major pairs, as EUR/USD remained flat at 1.17 and EUR/GBP held steady at 0.87. Meanwhile, the US Dollar Index Futures edged down by 0.34% to 98.22.