Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Consumer Goods, Healthcare and Utilities sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 added 0.35%.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Aperam SA (AS:APAM), which rose 4.10% or 1.02 points to trade at 25.90 at the close. Meanwhile, Umicore SA (EBR:UMI) added 3.17% or 0.44 points to end at 14.34 and Cofinimmo SA (EBR:COFB) was up 2.36% or 1.35 points to 58.45 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Argen-X (EBR:ARGX), which fell 1.73% or 7.10 points to trade at 403.80 at the close. UCB SA (EBR:UCB) declined 1.13% or 1.60 points to end at 139.75 and Galapagos NV (AS:GLPG) was down 0.94% or 0.22 points to 23.24.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 58 to 32 and 12 ended unchanged.
Shares in Galapagos NV (AS:GLPG) fell to 5-year lows; losing 0.94% or 0.22 to 23.24.
Gold Futures for August delivery was up 1.60% or 37.45 to $2,370.85 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in August rose 0.10% or 0.08 to hit $82.89 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract rose 0.10% or 0.09 to trade at $86.33 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.50% to 1.08, while EUR/GBP unchanged 0.14% to 0.85.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.47% at 104.91.