Finnish equities ended Friday's session on a positive note, with the OMX Helsinki 25 rising 0.51% to register a fresh record high. The rally was driven by advances in the Consumer Services, Utilities and Healthcare sectors, which collectively pushed shares higher across the bourse.
At the close in Helsinki, the benchmark index recorded a gain of 0.51% as investors rewarded several mid- and large-cap names.
Top performers
- Outokumpu Oyj (HE:OUT1V) led the winners, climbing 3.06% - an increase of 0.16 points to finish at 5.22.
- Hiab Oyj (HE:HIAB) added 2.87%, up 1.32 points to close at 47.32.
- Metso Oyj (HE:METSO) rose 2.69%, gaining 0.43 points to end the day at 16.40.
Laggards
- Neste Oyj (HE:NESTE) was the weakest of the highlighted names, falling 1.65% or 0.43 points to close at 25.68.
- Elisa Oyj (HE:ELISA) slipped 1.09%, a decline of 0.46 points to 41.92.
- UPM-Kymmene Oyj (HE:UPM) decreased 0.75%, down 0.20 points to 26.64.
Market breadth favored advancing issues, with 120 stocks higher against 54 that fell on the Helsinki Stock Exchange; 15 shares finished unchanged.
Commodities and currencies
In commodities trading, Brent oil for June delivery rose 1.19% or 1.14 to $97.06 a barrel. US crude for May delivery increased 1.32% or 1.29 to $99.16 a barrel. The June Gold Futures contract moved lower, falling 0.65% or 31.25 to trade at $4,786.75 a troy ounce.
Foreign exchange rates showed limited movement in the reported session. EUR/USD was unchanged 0.17% to 1.17, while EUR/GBP was unchanged 0.02% to 0.87. The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.09% at 98.50.
Context and takeaway
The session's gains were concentrated in a handful of sectors and names, resulting in a record close for the OMX Helsinki 25. Positive leadership from Consumer Services, Utilities and Healthcare coincided with mixed readings in commodities and relatively stable FX conditions as the US Dollar Index Futures showed a modest decline.