Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Healthcare, Basic Materials and Consumer Services sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 gained 0.20%.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Umicore SA (BR:UMI), which rose 2.18% or 0.84 points to trade at 39.57 at the close. Meanwhile, NV Bekaert SA (BR:BEKB) added 2.04% or 0.72 points to end at 36.22 and Aperam SA (AS:APAM) was up 1.55% or 0.65 points to 42.65 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Engie SA (PA:ENGIE), which fell 0.48% or 0.07 points to trade at 14.49 at the close. ING Groep NV (AS:INGA) declined 0.39% or 0.060 points to end at 15.485 and Ageas (BR:AGES) was down 0.32% or 0.130 points to 40.980.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 70 to 50 and 12 ended unchanged.
Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.26% or 3.30 to $1290.80 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February fell 0.70% or 0.42 to hit $59.55 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract fell 0.83% or 0.55 to trade at $65.91 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.35% to 1.1900, while EUR/GBP rose 0.17% to 0.8881.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.27% at 92.59.