Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Healthcare, Consumer Goods and Telecoms sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 added 0.49%.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Galapagos NV (AS:GLPG), which rose 1.68% or 1.560 points to trade at 94.340 at the close. Meanwhile, UCB (BR:UCB) added 1.34% or 0.94 points to end at 71.12 and Telenet Group (BR:TNET) was up 1.15% or 0.70 points to 61.55 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Ontex Group (BR:ONTEX), which fell 2.08% or 0.54 points to trade at 25.38 at the close. Engie SA (PA:ENGIE) declined 0.53% or 0.07 points to end at 13.99 and ING Groep NV (AS:INGA) was down 0.17% or 0.028 points to 16.230.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 74 to 39 and 20 ended unchanged.
Shares in Galapagos NV (AS:GLPG) rose to all time highs; rising 1.68% or 1.560 to 94.340. Shares in Ontex Group (BR:ONTEX) fell to 52-week lows; falling 2.08% or 0.54 to 25.38.
Gold Futures for February delivery was down 0.76% or 10.40 to $1352.50 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March rose 0.96% or 0.63 to hit $66.14 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 0.20% or 0.14 to trade at $70.56 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.23% to 1.2425, while EUR/GBP fell 0.09% to 0.8760.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.39% at 88.84.