AMSTERDAM: Netherlands stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Telecoms, Oil & Gas and Technology sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Amsterdam, the AEX gained 0.46% to hit a new 5-year high.
The best performers of the session on the AEX were Altice NV (AS:ATCA), which rose 3.14% or 0.64 points to trade at 21.03 at the close. Meanwhile, SBM Offshore (AS:SBMO) added 1.71% or 0.27 points to end at 16.04 and Unilever NV (AS:UNc) was up 1.33% or 0.62 points to 47.65 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Galapagos NV (AS:GLPG), which fell 1.82% or 1.540 points to trade at 83.060 at the close. Aegon (AS:AEGN) declined 1.74% or 0.081 points to end at 4.585 and ABN AMRO Group NV (AS:ABNd) was down 1.11% or 0.25 points to 22.32.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange by 69 to 56 and 9 ended unchanged.
Shares in SBM Offshore (AS:SBMO) rose to 5-year highs; rising 1.71% or 0.27 to 16.04. Shares in Unilever NV (AS:UNc) rose to all time highs; gaining 1.33% or 0.62 to 47.65.
The AEX Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of AEX options, was up 2.06% to 15.49 a new 1-month high.
Crude oil for May delivery was up 1.03% or 0.53 to $52.23 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in June rose 0.73% or 0.40 to hit $55.29 a barrel, while the June Gold Futures contract rose 1.08% or 13.55 to trade at $1266.85 a troy ounce.
EUR/USD was down 0.33% to 1.0609, while EUR/GBP rose 0.23% to 0.8558.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.26% at 100.87.