Banco Santander group has surpassed Inditex as the most valuable company on the Ibex 35 by market capitalization, after reaching 175,831 million euros, on a day when the battle between the two giants once again highlighted the intense competition for leadership in the Spanish market.
Santander shares rose 0.7%, driving the bank chaired by Ana Botín to momentarily regain a position it had not held consistently since 2018. In parallel, Inditex fell 0.8%, placing its market value at 174,657 million euros for much of the session.
Leadership that changes in real time
The day once again showed the extreme volatility in the fight for the top spot on the Ibex. During the previous session, Santander had already managed to briefly surpass Inditex, although the closing price returned leadership to the textile group.
On this occasion, the bank managed to consolidate its intraday advance, although the difference between the two companies remains narrow and subject to daily market movements.
At the previous close, Santander had been slightly behind with 174,568 million euros, while Inditex closed at 176,091 million, highlighting how close the dispute is.
Santander accelerates with a strong stock market rally
The bank's advance is part of a context of strong revaluation. In the last five years, Banco Santander shares have risen 261%, compared to the 85% accumulated by Inditex in the same period.
So far this year, Santander has revalued by 20.29%, well above the 1.14% registered by the textile group.
The market is rewarding the entity's strategy, driven by its international expansion and relevant operations such as the purchase of Webster Bank in the United States, valued at 12.2 billion dollars, an operation still subject to key regulatory approvals.
Inditex resists in a more demanding environment
For its part, Inditex maintains a more moderate stock market performance in a context marked by pressure on consumption and the loss of purchasing power in some key markets.
Even so, analyst consensus continues to show confidence in both stocks, with majority buy recommendations for both Santander and Inditex, although the bank leads slightly in percentage of support.