Around the start of the session this Tuesday, the mountain goat 35 marked the moment with a subtle 0.36% move as the selector positioned itself in place. The day saw 8339 as a numeric anchor at 09:01, with expectations that the New York and London stock exchanges would resume activity, while Germany reported CPI figures shaping the market mood.
As trading progressed, a 1.71% advance emerged yesterday as the Madrid index began the session hovering near the psychological level around 8,300, with attention turning to how Covid-19 developments in China could influence sentiment and volatility.
Spain’s labor market outlook provided a notable takeaway: 2022 registered unemployment at the public employment offices showed a decline of 8.6%, amounting to 2,837,635 unemployed individuals. That figure represented the smallest year-end total since 2007, signaling a potential turning point in labor demand across the country.
Additionally, the Social Security system closed 2022 with a fresh annual high, counting 20,296,271 contributors. The year added 471,360 jobs, a 2.4% increase, marking the second-largest annual rise since 2018 when the system expanded by 564,000 workers.
At the opening bell of the session, Naturgy Energy led declines as several utilities and financials followed, with Red Eléctrica, Endesa, Bankinter and Ferrovial posting losses. In contrast, Iberia’s IAG advanced, joined by Meliá Hotels, Amadeus and Repsol, which moved in positive territory on the day.
Across the broader European landscape, the session opened with modest gains: Frankfurt up by 0.22%, Paris slightly higher by 0.06%, and London showing a stronger start with a 1.1% increase.
On the commodity front, Brent crude maintained its position at the higher end of the spectrum, rising about 0.74% to the mid-86-dollar range. Texas intermediate crude rose roughly 0.75%, trading near 80 dollars per barrel as demand and supply expectations continued to influence pricing.
Meanwhile, the euro traded around 1.0598 dollars, reflecting ongoing currency dynamics. The Spanish risk premium stood near 106 basis points, while the yield on the benchmark ten-year bond hovered around 3.549%, signaling a cautious tone among fixed-income investors.