Lisbon, March 18, 2026 (Lusa) – The Lisbon stock market was trading slightly higher on Wednesday, with BCP leading gains and rising 2.19% to €0.81.
At around 8:25 a.m. in Lisbon, the Portuguese Stock Index (PSI) maintained its opening trend and rose 0.06% to 9,180.54 points, with eight companies up, six down and two unchanged (Ibersol at €10.80 and Jerónimo Martins at €21.88). BCP shares were followed by those of Teixeira Duarte, Altri and Semapa, which rose 1.14% to €0.44, 0.99% to €4.61 and 0.93% to €21.75, respectively.
Mota-Engil and CTT shares rose 0.68% to €4.44 and 0.60% to €6.74.
The other two shares also gaining value were Corticeira Amorim (up 0.47% to €6.36) and Navigator (up 0.12% to €3.29).
Conversely, EDP, NOS and EDP Renováveis shares fell 0.92% to €4.41, 0.74% to €5.37 and 0.59% to €13.56. More moderately, Galp and REN both fell 0.52% to €21.07 and €3.85, as did Sonae, which dropped 0.30% to €1.96.
The main European bourses opened higher on Wednesday, supported by the tech sector and a moderate fall in oil prices, while remaining attentive to Iran and statements from the US Federal Reserve (Fed) chair, Jerome Powell.
Wednesday's rise is being driven by the tech sector after Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang defended the massive use of generative artificial intelligence (AI), as well as by a moderation in oil prices.
Interest is focused again on the geopolitical situation and the conclusion of the Fed meeting, where interest rates are expected to be kept in the 3.50% to 3.75% range.
Investors are closely watching Powell's subsequent statements and any clues he may give about the future of monetary policy.
Monetary policy meetings of the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Bank of England will take place on Thursday.
US index futures point to gains of 0.66% for the Nasdaq and 0.59% for the Dow Jones.
The price of Brent crude, the European benchmark, for May delivery, fell 1.25% to $102.27, while US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dropped 2.42% to $93.41, after Iraq signed an agreement to resume exports via Turkey, avoiding the Strait of Hormuz, which will only partially ease supply fears.
OPEC production has been reduced to a third of its pre-conflict level.
Natural gas for April delivery on the Dutch TTF market, the European benchmark, also lost ground, falling to €51.360 per megawatt-hour (MWh), down from €51.559 on Tuesday.
Precious metals recorded falls: gold down 0.18% and silver down 0.20%.
The euro fell to $1.1521 on the Frankfurt foreign exchange market, compared to $1.1540 on Tuesday and $1.1980 on 27 January, a new high since June 2021.
MC/LYT // ADB.
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