Ibex 35 opened the session on a Friday with a 1.26% rise, lifting the index to 8,573.9 as traders headed into a day that continues to reflect the ongoing developments in the Ukraine conflict.
In the morning, the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell planned to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kiev. The engagement signals continued European support amid the war, following the bloc’s confirmation of the visit after last Tuesday’s announcement. The gesture arrived at a time when fundraising efforts in Europe were intensifying, with a conference in Warsaw slated for Saturday to bolster financial aid for Ukraine.
Madrid’s benchmark began the day after a modest retreat of 0.17% the previous session, turning attention to the psychological round of 8,600. The market atmosphere was broadly positive, with many equities trading in green territory from the outset.
In the early hours of trading, several names stood out for notable intraday climbs: Sabadell led gains with about 2.58%, Fluidra advanced around 2.46%, ArcelorMittal added roughly 2.36%, Acerinox rose by approximately 2.11%, Cie Automotive gained about 2.07%, and Colonial posted a strong move close to 2%. Other notable performers included Meliá Hotels International with around a 1.92% uptick and IAG rising near 1.89% as investors rotated into high-beta names.
Across the continent, the rest of European stock markets followed a similar green tone. Frankfurt and Paris opened higher, each up about 1.3%, while Londres saw a more modest advance of roughly 0.8%, contributing to a cautiously optimistic mood through the morning sessions.
Energy markets showed resilience as Brent crude traded roughly 0.8% higher near $101 per barrel, reflecting continued expectations of supply stability and global demand. In the United States, WTI crude kept pace with a slight uptick to around $96 per barrel, underscoring a global context of fluctuating energy prices that influence equity markets and macro expectations alike.
On the fixed-income front, the euro area risk premium remained a focal point for investors monitoring sovereign risk and fiscal trajectories. The Spanish 10-year bond yield hovered around 1.634%, with the risk premium at about 92 basis points, indicating a stable but attentive mood among euro-area debt markets as participants awaited further guidance on economic policy and growth prospects.
Overall, the day carried a tone of cautious optimism in European equities, underpinned by supportive signals from the European leadership in relation to Ukraine and ongoing financial support initiatives. Market participants continued to balance geopolitical developments with domestic economic indicators, positioning the Ibex 35 and its peers for potential follow-through in the coming sessions according to market analyses and attendees.