Ibex 35 Rises 1.58% to Close at 13,354.7 Points Amid Anticipation of Federal Reserve Meeting
Spanish stock market's benchmark index, Ibex 35, gains over 200 points as investor confidence and significant geopolitical discussions influence market dynamics.
The Ibex 35 index closed on March 18, 2025, with an increase of 1.58%, reaching 13,354.7 points.
This marks a continuation of the upward trend observed since the beginning of the week, with the index gaining more than 200 points in a single session.
The day's market activity coincided with the commencement of the Federal Reserve's meeting on interest rates, with a decision from the Fed expected on March 19.
In Germany, a proposal supported by the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the Social Democratic Party (SPD), and the Greens includes a partial lifting of the debt limits outlined in the country's Basic Law, commonly referred to as the 'debt brake' established in 2009.
On the same day, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed an audience in Denmark, stating that Europe must complete its rearmament process by 2030.
Investor attention was also directed toward discussions planned for later that day between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin concerning the situation in Ukraine.
In economic developments, investor confidence in Germany has seen a marked improvement in March, reported for the second consecutive month according to the ZEW Indicator, which has risen to its highest level since February 2022. This change is attributed to a fiscal shift anticipated from major German political parties following federal elections and the European Central Bank's (ECB) rate cuts.
Within the Ibex 35, several companies reported significant gains during the session: Bankinter rose by 4.42%, Banco Santander increased by 4%, Indra gained 3.63%, Unicaja was up by 3.33%, Fluidra saw a rise of 2.69%, and Banco Sabadell increased by 2.45%.
Conversely, notable declines were noted in IBERDROLA with a decrease of 0.36%, Puig Brands down by 0.28%, Colonial declining by 0.18%, and Merlin down by 0.10%.
In addition to the performance of the Ibex 35, other major European markets also closed positively, though with smaller gains compared to the Spanish index: London was up 0.29%, Paris increased by 0.50%, Frankfurt climbed by 0.98%, and Milan gained 1.31%.
In commodities, the price for Brent crude oil settled at $70.51 per barrel, down 0.79%, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) reached $66.84 per barrel, a decrease of 1.08%.
In the bond market, the yield on the Spanish 10-year bond closed at 3.437%, slightly up from 3.435% the previous day, contributing to a one-point increase in the risk premium to 62.7 basis points.
In currency exchange, the euro appreciated by 0.14% against the dollar by the close of the European session, with the exchange rate standing at 1.0939 dollars per euro.
This marks a continuation of the upward trend observed since the beginning of the week, with the index gaining more than 200 points in a single session.
The day's market activity coincided with the commencement of the Federal Reserve's meeting on interest rates, with a decision from the Fed expected on March 19.
In Germany, a proposal supported by the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the Social Democratic Party (SPD), and the Greens includes a partial lifting of the debt limits outlined in the country's Basic Law, commonly referred to as the 'debt brake' established in 2009.
On the same day, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed an audience in Denmark, stating that Europe must complete its rearmament process by 2030.
Investor attention was also directed toward discussions planned for later that day between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin concerning the situation in Ukraine.
In economic developments, investor confidence in Germany has seen a marked improvement in March, reported for the second consecutive month according to the ZEW Indicator, which has risen to its highest level since February 2022. This change is attributed to a fiscal shift anticipated from major German political parties following federal elections and the European Central Bank's (ECB) rate cuts.
Within the Ibex 35, several companies reported significant gains during the session: Bankinter rose by 4.42%, Banco Santander increased by 4%, Indra gained 3.63%, Unicaja was up by 3.33%, Fluidra saw a rise of 2.69%, and Banco Sabadell increased by 2.45%.
Conversely, notable declines were noted in IBERDROLA with a decrease of 0.36%, Puig Brands down by 0.28%, Colonial declining by 0.18%, and Merlin down by 0.10%.
In addition to the performance of the Ibex 35, other major European markets also closed positively, though with smaller gains compared to the Spanish index: London was up 0.29%, Paris increased by 0.50%, Frankfurt climbed by 0.98%, and Milan gained 1.31%.
In commodities, the price for Brent crude oil settled at $70.51 per barrel, down 0.79%, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) reached $66.84 per barrel, a decrease of 1.08%.
In the bond market, the yield on the Spanish 10-year bond closed at 3.437%, slightly up from 3.435% the previous day, contributing to a one-point increase in the risk premium to 62.7 basis points.
In currency exchange, the euro appreciated by 0.14% against the dollar by the close of the European session, with the exchange rate standing at 1.0939 dollars per euro.
Translation:
Translated by AI
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
