Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Industrials, Basic Materials and Utilities sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 rose 0.17%.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Ageas (BR:AGES), which rose 2.29% or 0.830 points to trade at 37.025 at the close. Meanwhile, Solvay SA (BR:SOLB) added 2.12% or 2.30 points to end at 110.55 and NV Bekaert SA (BR:BEKB) was up 1.94% or 0.78 points to 40.71 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were ING Groep NV (AS:INGA), which fell 4.97% or 0.670 points to trade at 12.815 at the close. Galapagos NV (AS:GLPG) declined 2.46% or 1.370 points to end at 54.410 and KBC (BR:KBC) was down 1.78% or 1.070 points to 58.930.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 92 to 56 and 15 ended unchanged.
Shares in Solvay SA (BR:SOLB) rose to 52-week highs; up 2.12% or 2.30 to 110.55.
Gold for February delivery was up 0.67% or 7.85 to $1177.95 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in January fell 1.51% or 0.77 to hit $50.16 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract fell 1.11% or 0.60 to trade at $53.33 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.31% to 1.0751, while EUR/GBP rose 0.93% to 0.8531.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.21% at 100.30.