Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Utilities, Consumer Goods and Consumer Services sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 added 0.56%.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Engie SA (PA:ENGIE), which rose 2.61% or 0.34 points to trade at 13.55 at the close. Meanwhile, Anheuser Busch Inbev SA NV (BR:ABI) added 2.38% or 2.07 points to end at 88.99 and ING Groep NV (AS:INGA) was up 1.08% or 0.146 points to 13.714 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Aperam SA (AS:APAM), which fell 2.96% or 1.16 points to trade at 38.02 at the close. Umicore SA (BR:UMI) declined 2.72% or 1.20 points to end at 42.99 and Solvay SA (BR:SOLB) was down 1.09% or 1.25 points to 113.10.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 68 to 38 and 20 ended unchanged.
Shares in Aperam SA (AS:APAM) fell to 52-week lows; falling 2.96% or 1.16 to 38.02.
Gold Futures for April delivery was down 1.20% or 16.10 to $1325.90 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in May fell 1.75% or 1.14 to hit $64.11 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract fell 1.50% or 1.04 to trade at $68.42 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.46% to 1.2346, while EUR/GBP fell 0.17% to 0.8750.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.56% at 89.46.