Stock Markets May 20, 2026 11:35 AM

Warsaw equities close higher as banking, developers and materials lead gains

WIG30 advances 1.47% with Grupa KĘTY hitting a record high; mixed moves across commodities and FX

By Sofia Navarro

Poland's equity benchmark advanced at the close on Wednesday, supported by strength in banking, developers and basic materials. The WIG30 rose 1.47% as more stocks gained than lost on the Warsaw exchange. Grupa KĘTY led the index and reached an all-time high, while several blue-chips including PKO and Bank Millennium also posted notable gains. Conversely, a handful of names, led by MODIVO, ended lower. Commodity and currency markets were mixed, with Brent and U.S. crude retreating and the zloty little changed against the euro.

Warsaw equities close higher as banking, developers and materials lead gains

Key Points

  • WIG30 rose 1.47% at the close, led by gains in Banking, Developers and Basic Materials.
  • Grupa KĘTY reached an all-time high after rising 3.41% to 1,182.00; PKO and Bank Millennium also posted notable gains.
  • Energy commodity prices fell sharply, with U.S. crude down 5.09% and Brent down 5.74%; gold slipped modestly.

Polish stocks finished the session higher on Wednesday as sector-level advances in Banking, Developers and Basic Materials underpinned a broad market rise. At the close in Warsaw the WIG30 index was up 1.47%.

Top performers

The strongest performer on the WIG30 was Grupa KĘTY SA (WA:KTY), which climbed 3.41% - an increase of 39.00 points - to finish at 1,182.00, marking a new all-time high for the shares. Powszechna Kasa Oszczednosci Bank Polski SA (WA:PKO) added 3.30%, up 3.20 points to close at 100.04. Bank Millennium SA (WA:MILP) also rallied, gaining 2.51% or 0.46 points to end the day at 18.56.

Laggers

On the downside, MODIVO SA (WA:MDVP) led decliners, sliding 2.84% or 2.36 points to a closing price of 80.78. Jastrzebska Spotka Weglowa SA (WA:JSW) fell 1.34% (0.35 points) to 25.76, while CD PROJEKT SA (WA:CDR) dipped 1.19% or 3.10 points to 257.20.

Market breadth and notable moves

Advancers outnumbered decliners on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, with 295 stocks rising and 221 falling; 122 names finished unchanged. The session included several notable index-level and individual-stock moves but did not provide additional company-specific disclosure beyond closing prices and percentage moves.

Commodities and other markets

Commodity markets showed larger moves. Crude oil for July delivery fell 5.09%, a decline of $5.31, to $99.07 a barrel. Brent for July delivery dropped 5.74%, down $6.44, to $105.66 a barrel. June Gold Futures were lower by 0.43% or $19.63, trading at $4,538.37 a troy ounce. Separately, the US Dollar Index Futures traded down 0.13% at 98.98.

Foreign exchange

FX moves were modest: the euro was unchanged against the zloty at 4.25 (0.00%), while the US dollar weakened versus the zloty, with USD/PLN down 0.23% to 3.65.

Overall, the session saw gains concentrated in banking, developers and basic materials, providing upward pressure on the WIG30 while energy-linked commodities and oil contracts posted notable declines.

Risks

  • Sharp declines in crude oil and Brent could affect energy-linked sectors and related market sentiment, as both contracts fell more than 5%.
  • A portion of WSE-listed stocks declined despite the overall advance - 221 stocks fell, indicating uneven participation across sectors.
  • Currency fluctuations - while EUR/PLN was unchanged, USD/PLN fell 0.23%, which may influence exporters or firms with dollar exposures.

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