Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Utilities, Healthcare and Basic Materials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 gained 0.88%.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Ontex Group (BR:ONTEX), which rose 3.20% or 0.70 points to trade at 22.60 at the close. Meanwhile, Engie SA (PA:ENGIE) added 2.07% or 0.29 points to end at 14.54 and Galapagos NV (AS:GLPG) was up 1.97% or 1.600 points to 82.680 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Aperam SA (AS:APAM), which fell 0.39% or 0.16 points to trade at 40.99 at the close. Telenet Group (BR:TNET) declined 0.33% or 0.16 points to end at 47.94 and ING Groep NV (AS:INGA) was down 0.23% or 0.030 points to 13.280.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 71 to 52 and 18 ended unchanged.
Shares in ING Groep NV (AS:INGA) fell to 52-week lows; down 0.23% or 0.030 to 13.280.
Gold Futures for June delivery was down 0.12% or 1.50 to $1290.00 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in June rose 0.21% or 0.15 to hit $71.64 a barrel, while the July Brent oil contract rose 0.82% or 0.65 to trade at $79.93 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.03% to 1.1805, while EUR/GBP fell 0.24% to 0.8733.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.06% at 93.33.