Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Basic Materials, Telecoms and Technology sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 rose 0.49% to hit a new 5-year high.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Galapagos NV (AS:GLPG), which rose 4.02% or 3.350 points to trade at 86.640 at the close. Meanwhile, Aperam SA (AS:APAM) added 1.81% or 0.83 points to end at 47.02 and Solvay SA (BR:SOLB) was up 1.49% or 1.90 points to 129.45 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Ontex Group (BR:ONTEX), which fell 1.04% or 0.32 points to trade at 29.88 at the close. Cofinimmo-Sicafi (BR:COFB) declined 0.55% or 0.60 points to end at 108.35 and UCB (BR:UCB) was down 0.53% or 0.33 points to 62.16.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 72 to 37 and 11 ended unchanged.
Shares in Solvay SA (BR:SOLB) rose to 52-week highs; rising 1.49% or 1.90 to 129.45.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.54% or 6.85 to $1277.35 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in December fell 0.20% or 0.11 to hit $54.27 a barrel, while the January Brent oil contract fell 0.53% or 0.32 to trade at $60.62 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.16% to 1.1627, while EUR/GBP fell 0.03% to 0.8765.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.17% at 94.61.