The Stockholm Stock Exchange surged on Thursday, buoyed by gains in the index-heavy banking and industrial sectors. Stockholm's performance was markedly stronger than that seen on other global markets. In the spotlight were heavyweights Swedbank and Atlas Copco.

At the close, the OMXS30 index was up 1.77 percent at 3,036.64. Shares worth approximately 28.1 billion Swedish kronor were traded on the Stockholm Stock Exchange.

The best performers among the exchange's major industrial sectors were real estate and industrials, both posting gains of 2.3 percent. On the other end of the spectrum, energy lagged behind, falling 1.3 percent.

Among the leading stocks included in the OMXS30 index, Atlas Copco A rose 5.0 percent while Swedbank A climbed 3.7 percent. The weakest performers were Astra Zeneca, down 1.8 percent, and H&M B, which slipped 1.2 percent.

The U.S. Department of Justice has closed its investigation into Swedbank without taking action. The investigation, launched in 2019, was related to the bank's historical efforts to combat money laundering. Swedbank is now only being investigated in the U.S. by the Department of Financial Services in New York. The bank is currently unable to assess the potential financial consequences or when this investigation will conclude. The news prompted market speculation about increased dividend potential for Swedbank.

Gains were also seen among peers, with SEB up 0.9 percent, Handelsbanken rising 1 percent, and Nordea advancing 1.3 percent.

Industrial giant Atlas Copco was boosted by positive news from sector peer, Swiss VAT Group, a competitor in the vacuum segment, which reported higher revenue than its fourth-quarter guidance.

Pharmaceutical company Sobi dropped 0.4 percent after announcing it will exceed its 2025 guidance. The company expects revenues to reach 28.2 billion kronor with an adjusted EBITA margin of about 40 percent. According to Factset, market consensus was for 28.6 billion and 38.4 percent, respectively.

Telecom supplier Ericsson rose 1.6 percent. The company has notified the Swedish Public Employment Service of workforce reductions that could affect 1,600 positions in Sweden. Negotiations have begun with relevant Swedish labor unions.

Diamond mining company Lucara Diamond increased its previously announced directed share issue after strong demand, now totaling 1.03 billion new shares at a price of 0.16 Canadian dollars per share, yielding gross proceeds of 165 million Canadian dollars. This means the transaction more than doubles, as the company initially planned to issue at least 437.5 million shares, which would have raised at least 70 million Canadian dollars. The stock soared 34 percent.

IT security company Clavister jumped nearly 27 percent after receiving an order in Norway worth 280 million kronor.

On the analysis front, SEB raised its recommendation on Bonesupport to buy from hold. The stock gained 5.5 percent.

ABG upgraded SSAB to hold from sell. The stock rose 2.4 percent.

ABG downgraded Boliden to hold from buy. The stock increased 0.9 percent.

Handelsbanken downgraded Arjo to hold from buy. The stock fell 2.3 percent.

Morgan Stanley upgraded Nokia to overweight from equal-weight. The stock gained 3 percent.

SB1 Markets initiated coverage on Storytel with a buy rating. The stock climbed 2.3 percent.