MADRID, 15 (EUROPA PRESS)
The Ibex 35 index closed higher this Friday on a day marked by a holiday across much of the Old Continent. In the absence of European benchmarks, investors focused on the United States and the meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
Thus, the Madrid index stepped on the accelerator, closing with a 0.47% gain, eight hundredths of a point higher than at mid-session, leaving its price at 15,277.2 basis points.
The Ibex 35 reached a historic milestone this week, reaching 15,000 points again, a level it hadn't reached since 2007, bringing it close to its all-time high of 15,945 points. This year's performance, with a cumulative increase of 30%, has made the Ibex 35 the best-performing index among the world's major indexes.
Specifically, Amadeus shares boosted the Ibex 35 with a 1.35% gain, ahead of Aena, with a 0.91% rise; Cellnex, with a 0.89% advance; and Ferrovial, which posted a 0.86% gain.
Meanwhile, the biggest declines in the index at Plaza de la Lealtad were for Indra (-1.67%), Unicaja (-0.75%), Colonial (-0.52%), and Logista (-0.48%).
Among the other major European stock markets, London's FTSE100 fell 0.42%, while Paris's CAC 40 rose 0.67% and Frankfurt's DAX fell 0.01%.
UKRAINE AND TAKEOVER
According to market analyst Manuel Pinto, the peace efforts in Ukraine have had a strong impact on the Ibex 35. If they are successful, Arcelormittal would be one of the biggest beneficiaries in Europe, as its plants in Ukraine could be operational again.
Before the war, in 2021, its production was around 4.9 million tons of steel, a figure that fell to 1.6 million tons in 2024, a 67% decrease. Any improvement in this area would directly boost its results.
Another key player is Acerinox, which could rebound on expectations of improved steel demand stemming from the possible reconstruction of Ukraine.
In addition to the steel sector, other industries also stand to gain in this scenario: construction companies, due to their key role in reconstruction plans; airlines, which would benefit from a drop in crude oil prices; and banks, which would see their activity strengthened by the forecast of stronger economic growth in the region.
Also noteworthy is Inditex, whose past exposure to Russia positions it as a potential beneficiary if the market reopens, something possible thanks to the company's continued franchise rights there, if conditions permit.
On the other side of the spectrum is Indra, which, like the rest of the defense sector, is suffering the consequences of a foreseeable ceasefire that would slow the growth of new orders.
On another note, Pinto mentioned BBVA's takeover bid for Sabadell, highlighting that the current premium and government restrictions make the offer from the bank chaired by Carlos Torres unattractive to Sabadell shareholders.
"In a surprising move, BBVA announced this week its intention to continue with the takeover bid, a surprising move that seems to lack economic sense at this time. It's an 'all in' by BBVA's chairman, and we'll see how it turns out," he summarized.
