Stock Markets April 1, 2026

Spanish Stocks Close Strong; IBEX 35 Jumps 3.11% Led by Construction and Industrials

Broad advance in Madrid with ACS hitting record highs as commodity and currency moves show mixed signals

By Avery Klein
Spanish Stocks Close Strong; IBEX 35 Jumps 3.11% Led by Construction and Industrials

Spain's main index closed higher on Wednesday, with the IBEX 35 finishing up 3.11% as gains in Building & Construction, Financial Services & Real Estate and Consumer Goods supported the advance. ACS led the index, reaching an all-time high, while select energy names lagged. Commodity and currency markets moved unevenly, with gold surging and oil retreating. Market breadth in Madrid was strongly positive, with rising issues far outnumbering decliners.

Key Points

  • IBEX 35 rose 3.11% at the close, led by Building & Construction, Financial Services & Real Estate and Consumer Goods sectors.
  • ACS reached an all-time high, closing at 112.20 after a 7.06% gain; ArcelorMittal and IAG also posted strong gains.
  • Energy stocks underperformed with Repsol down 5.23%; commodities saw divergent moves as gold surged while crude oil fell.

Spanish equities ended Wednesday's session with a pronounced gain, the IBEX 35 closing up 3.11% in Madrid. Strength was concentrated in a handful of sectors, notably Building & Construction, Financial Services & Real Estate and Consumer Goods, which collectively underpinned the rally.

Top and bottom performers

The standout performer on the IBEX 35 was ACS Actividades de Construccion y Servicios SA (BME:ACS), which climbed 7.06% - a rise of 7.40 points - to close at 112.20, marking an all-time high for the stock. ArcelorMittal SA (BME:MTS) also posted a strong session, adding 6.55% or 2.87 points to finish at 46.71. International Consolidated Airlines Group S.A. (BME:ICAG) advanced 5.82% or 0.23 points to close at 4.25.

On the downside, Repsol (BME:REP) registered the largest loss on the index, falling 5.23% or 1.29 points to end the day at 23.36. Enagas (BME:ENAG) decreased 1.05% or 0.18 points to 16.96, while Naturgy Energy Group SA (BME:NTGY) edged down 0.08% or 0.02 points to 25.88.

Market breadth and internals

Advancers outpaced decliners on the Madrid Stock Exchange by a substantial margin: 164 stocks rose, 37 fell and 10 finished unchanged. That breadth contributed to the IBEX 35's robust finish.

Commodities and currencies

Commodity markets displayed mixed moves during the session. Gold futures for June delivery were up 2.84% - a gain of 132.97 - to trade at $4,811.57 per troy ounce. In contrast, crude oil prices fell: the contract for May delivery declined 1.40% or 1.42 to $99.96 a barrel, while the June Brent contract slipped 1.82% or 1.89 to $102.08 a barrel.

In foreign exchange trading, EUR/USD rose 0.51% to 1.16, while EUR/GBP was unchanged 0.19% to 0.87. The US Dollar Index Futures moved lower, down 0.53% to 99.23.


Key takeaways

  • The IBEX 35 closed up 3.11% on the day, supported by sector-level gains in construction, financial services and consumer goods.
  • ACS reached an all-time high, rising 7.06% to 112.20; ArcelorMittal and IAG were also notable gainers.
  • Energy names were among the laggards, with Repsol down 5.23% at 23.36; broader commodity moves were mixed, as gold jumped while crude oil fell.

This report summarizes intraday moves and closing prices; it confines itself to the figures and market outcomes recorded at the close in Madrid.

Risks

  • Energy sector volatility - Repsol fell 5.23% to 23.36 while crude oil prices declined to $99.96 a barrel, indicating the sector may face price-driven swings.
  • Concentration risk - a relatively small set of large movers (e.g., ACS, ArcelorMittal, IAG) contributed disproportionately to the IBEX 35 gain, which could leave indexes sensitive to reversals in those names.
  • Currency and dollar moves - EUR/USD rose to 1.16 and the US Dollar Index Futures fell to 99.23, signaling exchange-rate shifts that can affect multinational earnings and cross-border exposures.

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