Italian stocks hit a record for the first time in 26 years. Which securities are leading the growth?
The rally was led by an Apple and Tesla supplier
Italy's FTSE MIB stock index set a new record for the first time since 2000, Bloomberg reported. In trading on Monday, May 25, the index was rising at the peak by 1.2% to 50,121.2 points.
Italian stocks have risen 11% since the beginning of 2026: they are growing for the fourth year in a row, writes Bloomberg. By comparison, the main U.S. stock index S&P 500, which has updated the record several times this year, has added 9.2% since the beginning of January.
European stocks have already set several records since the end of the coronavirus pandemic, with Spain's Ibex 25 index, for example, peaking in October 2025 and Germany's DAX in 2026. Italy remained the only major stock market on the continent to hold below its previous record, according to Bloomberg.
What drives the rally
While banks were the main drivers of the Italian stock market in 2025, the FTSE MIB rose to a new record in 2026 thanks to a rally in shares of energy companies and chip suppliers, according to Bloomberg.
The best performer in the index in terms of growth this year is chip supplier STMicroelectronics, which supplies Apple and Tesla, among others, the agency writes. Shares of STMicroelectronics in Milan have grown by 156% since the beginning of January. Securities traded in New York showed similar dynamics. The rapid construction of infrastructure for artificial intelligence has increased demand for optical components that can transmit data more efficiently, Bloomberg explained.
Shares of energy companies Saipem and Eni are now 73% and 41% more expensive than they were at the beginning of the year, thanks to rising oil prices due to the war between the United States and Iran. On Ma. 25, the securities of both companies became cheaper at the trades in parallel with a 5.7% decline in Brent due to investors' hopes for a speedy peace deal between the parties.
At the same time, securities of car maker Stellantis (Fiat, Peugeot and Citroen brands) and shipbuilding company Fincantieri were among the worst performers in the FTSE MIB this year, having fallen in price by 30% each, Bloomberg writes.
This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor
