Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Healthcare, Consumer Services and Basic Materials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 rose 0.21% to hit a new 5-year high.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Umicore SA (BR:UMI), which rose 2.87% or 1.26 points to trade at 45.10 at the close. Meanwhile, Galapagos NV (AS:GLPG) added 2.82% or 2.440 points to end at 88.960 and Telenet Group (BR:TNET) was up 1.50% or 0.90 points to 61.00 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Engie SA (PA:ENGIE), which fell 0.75% or 0.11 points to trade at 14.56 at the close. bpost NV (BR:BPOST) declined 0.67% or 0.18 points to end at 26.80 and Ackermans V.Haaren (BR:ACKB) was down 0.67% or 1.00 points to 149.20.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 70 to 45 and 18 ended unchanged.
Shares in Umicore SA (BR:UMI) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 2.87% or 1.26 to 45.10. Shares in Galapagos NV (AS:GLPG) rose to all time highs; gaining 2.82% or 2.440 to 88.960.
Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.69% or 9.10 to $1331.60 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 0.45% or 0.29 to hit $64.09 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 0.35% or 0.24 to trade at $69.50 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.81% to 1.2130, while EUR/GBP fell 0.34% to 0.8858.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.65% at 91.06.