Netherlands equities finished the trading session in negative territory on Wednesday as weakness in the Healthcare, Telecoms and Real Estate sectors pressured the benchmark.
At the close in Amsterdam, the AEX eased 0.38%.
The strongest performers on the AEX were ASML Holding NV, which advanced 1.78% - adding 20.80 points to finish at 1,192.60; BE Semiconductor Industries NV, up 1.74% or 4.10 points to close at 239.40; and Adyen NV, which gained 0.34% or 3.20 points to end the session at 957.20.
On the downside, Koninklijke Philips NV led declines with a 5.31% drop, a fall of 1.23 points to close at 21.92. Koninklijke KPN NV retreated 2.83%, down 0.13 points to 4.50, and Heineken slid 2.81% - losing 1.88 points to finish at 64.92.
Decliners outnumbered advancers on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange by 61 to 38, with 8 shares unchanged.
Heineken's share price also touched a 52-week low during the session, moving down 2.81% to 64.92.
Market-implied volatility for the AEX, as measured by the AEX Volatility gauge, was unchanged on the day at 21.09.
Commodities saw notable moves: crude oil for June delivery climbed 6.28% - up 6.28 to $106.21 a barrel. Brent oil for July delivery rose 5.61%, adding 5.86 to reach $110.26 a barrel. In contrast, the June Gold Futures contract slipped 0.72%, a decrease of 33.39, to trade at $4,575.01 a troy ounce.
In FX markets, EUR/USD was effectively unchanged, moving 0.15% to 1.17, while EUR/GBP remained largely steady, changing 0.03% to 0.87. The US Dollar Index Futures gained 0.18% to trade at 98.65.
Summary of key market moves and readings:
- AEX -0.38% at close
- Top gainers: ASML +1.78%, BESI +1.74%, Adyen +0.34%
- Largest decliners: Philips -5.31%, KPN -2.83%, Heineken -2.81% (52-week low)
- Commodities: Brent $110.26/bbl, WTI $106.21/bbl; Gold futures $4,575.01/oz
- FX: EUR/USD 1.17, EUR/GBP 0.87, DXY Futures 98.65