The AEX index broke through the 1,000-point mark shortly after the market opened at 9am on Thursday, reaching a record high of 1,008 points.

The milestone had been within reach in recent days, driven by the continued surge in technology stocks. Chip equipment makers such as ASML and Besi were again among the strongest risers in the index following positive results from Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC.

Gains in heavyweight stocks including ING and Shell have also helped push the main Amsterdam index to its latest record.

It is not the first time the index, founded in 1983, has passed 1,000 points. That level was briefly reached on 7 August 1997, when trading was still conducted in guilders. Converted to euros, the index then stood at 453.78 points.

The strength of tech and banking stocks helped the AEX recover swiftly from the sharp market collapse at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. After falling well below 600 points, the index passed 700 points in March 2021 and touched 800 later that year.

The AEX crossed the 900-point threshold just over 18 months ago.