AEX closes at 1,136.29 points, up 1.30%
Published on 11/04/2026 at 22:44 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSAEX ends three-day decline
- The AEX closed at 1,136.29 points on Wednesday, November 4, gaining 1.30 percent.
- Healthcare, consumer goods and financial stocks led the advance, while semiconductor shares weakened.
- European markets rallied as investors assessed the US midterm result, falling oil prices and reduced geopolitical risk.
The AEX closed at 1,136.29 points on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, up 1.30 percent. The Dutch benchmark recorded its first gain after three consecutive lower sessions as investors responded to a broad European equity rally following the US midterm elections.
Defensive and financial stocks lead
According to Reuters via Investing.com, gains in healthcare, consumer goods and financials helped lift the Amsterdam market. Wolters Kluwer was the strongest AEX riser, advancing 6.69 percent, followed by Ahold Delhaize with a 6.62 percent gain and Philips with a 6.54 percent increase.
Semiconductor stocks moved in the opposite direction. ASM International fell 5.06 percent, ASML declined 3.42 percent and BE Semiconductor Industries lost 2.63 percent. The market breadth nevertheless remained clearly positive: 75 stocks advanced, 19 declined and nine ended unchanged on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange, according to Reuters.
European rally meets oil weakness
The AEX posted the smallest gain among the nine European benchmarks tracked by The Edge. The research service said the rally followed the Democrats' victory in the US midterm elections, while banks led European sectors and oil and gas shares weakened as crude prices fell sharply.
The market response was mixed across industries rather than uniformly positive. The Edge reported gains of 4.32 percent for European banks and 3.26 percent for autos and parts, while the technology sector slipped 0.20 percent and oil and gas fell 2.35 percent. This backdrop helps explain why the AEX rose despite losses among several of its major chip-equipment constituents.
Investors look to central banks
The European session also left investors focused on the next monetary-policy signal. The Edge identified the Bank of England's rate decision and accompanying Monetary Policy Report, scheduled for Thursday, November 5, as the next major event on the calendar. For the AEX, the combination of technology exposure, financial stocks and energy companies remains relevant for how such macroeconomic signals are reflected across sectors.
Further AEX coverage is available on the AEX topic page.
