The Stockholm Stock Exchange is trading lower at midday on Wednesday, in a downward retreat following Tuesday's sharp rise. The trend is similar across leading European markets. In the news flow, Clas Ohlson is rising after reporting an operating profit that beat analysts' expectations.

At around 12:50 PM, the OMXS30 index was down 1.03 percent to 3,050.95. Shares worth approximately SEK 6.8 billion were traded on the Stockholm Stock Exchange.

Among the exchange's major industrial sectors, energy performed best with an increase of 0.5 percent. At the other end of the scale, industrials lagged at the bottom with a decline of 1.4 percent.

Among the leading shares included in the OMXS30 index, Hexagon B rose 0.6 percent while Ericsson B was up 0.6 percent. The weakest performance came from Saab B, down 5.9 percent, while EQT fell 2.5 percent.

Home improvement chain Clas Ohlson reported an operating profit of SEK 659 million for the third quarter, which was 3 percent higher than analysts' expectations. Sales for the quarter were already known. Sales in February, the first month of the fourth quarter, rose by 9 percent. The stock is up 2.0 percent.

Spanish clothing company Inditex reported revenue and earnings per share for the full year 2025/26 in line with analysts' expectations. The total dividend is proposed to be increased. Sales so far in the new fiscal year have risen by 9 percent. Inditex shares are trading up 2.4 percent in Madrid, while competitor H&M is down 0.2 percent.

Private equity firm EQT, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, and Auba Investment have sold their remaining shares in the German skincare company Galderma through a placement. The deal brings the sellers 4.9 billion Swiss francs, equivalent to SEK 58 billion. The owners' exit comes after Galderma has performed strongly since its IPO in the spring of 2024.

Technology company Sivers Semiconductors announced that an unnamed Lidar customer is scaling up production. Sivers will deliver lasers and optical amplifiers with a cumulative revenue potential of between 53 and 138 million dollars over the customer's product life cycle. The stock is climbing 11.6 percent.

Financial profile Günther Mårder is buying shares for just over SEK 14 million in the real estate company Prisma Properties, where he is proposed to join the board at the annual general meeting in late April. The stock increased 1.4 percent.

Shipping company Gotlandsbolaget is increasing its turnover but swung to a negative result in the fourth quarter, compared to a profit in the same quarter last year. The board is holding off on a dividend proposal. The stock is losing 3.2 percent.

Environmental technology company Scandinavian Enviro is placing its subsidiary Tyre Recycling in Sweden into bankruptcy. This results in a write-down of SEK 84 million. The parent company is currently undergoing a corporate restructuring. The stock is falling by 8.5 percent.