Finnish share prices ended the trading day in negative territory on Thursday, as weakness concentrated in the Telecoms, Technology and Financials sectors pushed the OMX Helsinki 25 down 1.15% at the close in Helsinki.
Among constituents, Wartsila Oyj Abp (HE:WRT1V) posted the strongest performance, climbing 2.56% - a gain of 0.85 points - to finish at 34.01. Metso Oyj (HE:METSO) also advanced, adding 1.92% or 0.32 points to close at 17.02, while Konecranes ABP (HE:KCRA) rose 1.11% or 1.10 points to end the session at 100.30.
On the downside, Qt Group Oyj (HE:QTCOM) led losses, tumbling 9.71% - a drop of 2.90 points - to close at 26.96. Nokia Oyj (HE:NOKIA) fell 9.08% or 0.51 points to 5.15, and TietoEVRY Corp (HE:TIETO) declined 3.88% or 0.73 points to finish at 18.09.
Market breadth at the Helsinki Stock Exchange was decisively negative, with 121 stocks falling, 52 rising and 17 ending unchanged.
Two notable intra-session milestones were recorded: Wartsila's shares reached five-year highs with the 2.56% uptick to 34.01, while shares of Qt Group dropped to five-year lows after the 9.71% decline to 26.96.
Commodities and currency movements accompanied the equity action. Brent crude for April delivery strengthened 2.85% - up $1.92 - to $69.29 per barrel. US crude oil for March delivery gained 3.21% or $2.03, settling at $65.24 per barrel. In metals, the April gold futures contract eased 0.84% - a move of 44.71 - to trade at 5,295.49 per troy ounce.
Currency markets were relatively stable. EUR/USD was essentially flat, moving 0.08% to 1.19, while EUR/GBP was unchanged at 0.87. The US Dollar Index Futures slipped 0.09% to 96.19.
Market context and implications
The decline in the OMX Helsinki 25 was driven by concentrated losses in a handful of sectors, and broader participation by decliners on the exchange. Technology and Telecoms names featured among the heaviest single-stock declines, while select industrial and engineering firms provided upward support. Commodity price moves - notably the rise in crude oil and the pullback in gold futures - accompanied the session but did not offset the equity weakness.
What to watch next
- Whether the sectoral weakness that pushed the index lower persists into subsequent sessions, particularly in Telecoms and Technology.
- Price action in individual large-cap names such as Nokia and Qt Group, given their outsized moves on the day.
- Further shifts in commodity prices and currency pairs that can influence corporate margins and investor risk appetite.