Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Financials, Industrials and Financials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 added 0.38% to hit a new 5-year high.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were ING Groep NV (AS:INGA), which rose 3.13% or 0.500 points to trade at 16.460 at the close. Meanwhile, KBC (BR:KBC) added 2.86% or 2.100 points to end at 75.500 and Sofina (BR:SOF) was up 1.76% or 2.40 points to 139.00 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Ontex Group (BR:ONTEX), which fell 4.83% or 1.40 points to trade at 27.60 at the close. Proximus NV (BR:PROX) declined 1.65% or 0.46 points to end at 27.48 and Solvay SA (BR:SOLB) was down 1.17% or 1.40 points to 118.20.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 59 to 49 and 22 ended unchanged.
Shares in ING Groep NV (AS:INGA) rose to 5-year highs; rising 3.13% or 0.500 to 16.460. Shares in KBC (BR:KBC) rose to 5-year highs; rising 2.86% or 2.100 to 75.500. Shares in Sofina (BR:SOF) rose to all time highs; up 1.76% or 2.40 to 139.00.
Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.33% or 4.30 to $1318.00 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 0.60% or 0.38 to hit $63.34 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 0.26% or 0.18 to trade at $69.00 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.21% to 1.1961, while EUR/GBP rose 0.42% to 0.8853.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.24% at 92.01.