Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Healthcare, Consumer Services and Industrials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 gained 0.68%.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Galapagos NV (AS:GLPG), which rose 17.58% or 15.630 points to trade at 104.550 at the close. Meanwhile, bpost NV (BR:BPOST) added 1.80% or 0.24 points to end at 13.56 and UCB (BR:UCB) was up 1.28% or 1.02 points to 80.92 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Ontex Group (BR:ONTEX), which fell 1.33% or 0.25 points to trade at 18.50 at the close. ING Groep NV (AS:INGA) declined 1.00% or 0.110 points to end at 10.894 and Anheuser Busch Inbev SA NV (BR:ABI) was down 0.63% or 0.48 points to 75.75.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 68 to 43 and 20 ended unchanged.
Shares in Galapagos NV (AS:GLPG) rose to all time highs; gaining 17.58% or 15.630 to 104.550. Shares in Ontex Group (BR:ONTEX) fell to 3-years lows; losing 1.33% or 0.25 to 18.50. Shares in ING Groep NV (AS:INGA) fell to 52-week lows; down 1.00% or 0.110 to 10.894. Shares in UCB (BR:UCB) rose to 52-week highs; up 1.28% or 1.02 to 80.92. Shares in Anheuser Busch Inbev SA NV (BR:ABI) fell to 3-years lows; falling 0.63% or 0.48 to 75.75.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.62% or 7.40 to $1209.60 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in October rose 1.65% or 1.14 to hit $70.39 a barrel, while the November Brent oil contract rose 0.48% or 0.38 to trade at $79.44 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.16% to 1.1625, while EUR/GBP rose 0.16% to 0.8919.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.21% at 94.85.