The Ibex 35 opened the trading day higher by about 0.5 percent, nudging the selective index toward the top of the board as investors digested fresh signals from European regulators and global financial chatter. By 09:01, attention shifted to the first euro area CPI reading of the session, a crucial data point that could shape expectations for monetary policy amid ongoing discussions from central banks and lingering recession risks. Investors scanned the horizon for clues on inflation trends and what they may imply for future rate moves in the currency bloc.
After a slide of roughly 1.91 percent in the previous session, the Madrid benchmark steadied at the start of today’s session, maintaining a psychological support around 7,300 points. A broad majority of constituents traded in positive territory, with several names leading the gain pack. Notable performers included IAG, the aviation group, up about 1.87 percent; ArcelorMittal adding around 1.76 percent; Acerinox at roughly 1.7 percent; Bankinter near 1.65 percent; Caixabank advancing about 1.39 percent; and Telefónica rising around 1.21 percent. These moves underscore a mixed but resilient sentiment across sectors, from materials and utilities to financials and telecommunications.
On the lagging side, several blue chips retraced some of yesterday’s losses. Endesa, Iberdrola, and Grifols traded in negative territory, with declines of around 0.46 percent, 0.27 percent, and 0.1 percent respectively. The today’s performance reflects a cautious mood among investors who are balancing domestic earnings narratives with global macro signals, including energy price trajectories and the evolving stance of central banks toward inflation and growth prospects.
Across the continent, the mood in European equity markets showed a positive tilt. Frankfurt posted gains around 0.7 percent, Paris around 0.6 percent, and London a marginal rise close to 0.06 percent. The broad improvement in Europe sits in contrast to the American session, where U.S. indices slid: the Dow Jones edged down about 1.54 percent, the S&P 500 shed roughly 2.11 percent, and the Nasdaq fell near 2.84 percent, reflecting the pullback in risk appetite after a recent stretch of volatility on Wall Street.
Meanwhile, oil markets moved higher, with Brent crude trading around the mid-to-high eighties, signaling a continued balance between supply concerns and demand resilience. The Brent reference hovered near $87 a barrel, about 0.41 percent firmer, while West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark, increased around 0.3 percent to roughly $81 a barrel. These price levels contribute to a broader narrative about energy costs, inflation pressures, and their potential impact on consumer spending and industrial activity in Europe and North America.
On the currency front, the euro was priced near $0.9831 against the dollar, reflecting ongoing exchange rate dynamics in a period of heightened macro vigilance. The European risk premium for Spain stood at about 115 basis points, with the yield on the benchmark ten-year Spanish bond around 3.272 percent. The combination of currency movements, sovereign yields, and the euro’s relative strength or weakness feeds into import costs, pricing strategies for exporters, and overall financial market sentiment as the session unfolds.