Ibex 35 started the session modestly higher, gaining about 0.1% and keeping the index near the 8,500 point level that was touched on Tuesday. The Madrid benchmark opened with caution after a stretch of eleven consecutive sessions in positive territory that marked the strongest run since late 2018, finishing yesterday close to 8,522 points.
Investors await a slate of milestones on Wednesday, including the release of the Fed minutes from the latest policy meeting and a batch of eurozone macroeconomic indicators. Key data on GDP and employment for the currency union, alongside several corporate results, are expected to shape short-term trading decisions. Market participants will also watch how these developments may influence domestic equities, especially among the larger banks and financial firms within the Ibex 35.
Across Europe, major indices opened the day with a touch of cautious optimism. The British market climbed around 0.2% in London, followed by a 0.17% rise in Paris. Frankfurt displayed a steadier session, edging higher by roughly 0.07% as investors digested fresh economic signals and corporate updates from the region.
Within the Ibex 35, early movers underscored the resilience of the financial sector. Banks led the gains at the opening, with BBVA up about 1.5% and CaixaBank and Sabadell each rising around 1%. Bankinter advanced nearly 0.9%, while Santander added about 0.7% as the session began.
On the negative side, a few names pulled the index lower. Enagás slipped about 0.8%, while PharmaMar, Red Eléctrica, and Colonial posted more modest gains around 0.4% as trading started. The overall direction will depend on evolving expectations for energy, utilities, and growth-oriented equities as investors reassess risk and potential returns in light of incoming data.
In the commodity complex, oil markets opened with Brent crude trading higher, nearing the week’s peak levels. Brent registered a 0.9% gain to roughly 93.19 dollars per barrel, signaling continued strength in European energy markets. Meanwhile, the U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate traded near 87.42 dollars per barrel, supported by constructive supply-demand signals and ongoing geopolitical considerations affecting global energy flows.
In the foreign exchange arena, the euro eased slightly against the dollar, trading around 1.0164 dollars per euro as activities unfolded. In debt markets, the spread between benchmark borrowing costs and German Bunds stayed at a manageable level, while Spain’s 10-year yield hovered near 2.19%, reflecting investor assessments of sovereign risk and growth expectations in the euro area. [Source: Market data providers and regional financial briefings]