Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Basic Materials, Industrials and Financials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 rose 1.31% to hit a new 1-month high.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Ackermans V.Haaren (BR:ACKB), which rose 2.20% or 3.20 points to trade at 148.80 at the close. Meanwhile, Solvay SA (BR:SOLB) added 2.11% or 2.45 points to end at 118.50 and KBC (BR:KBC) was up 2.05% or 1.460 points to 72.720 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Cofinimmo-Sicafi (BR:COFB), which fell 0.63% or 0.70 points to trade at 110.00 at the close. Galapagos NV (AS:GLPG) declined 0.02% or 0.020 points to end at 80.580 and UCB (BR:UCB) was up 0.12% or 0.08 points to 66.32.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 79 to 29 and 21 ended unchanged.
Shares in KBC (BR:KBC) rose to 5-year highs; rising 2.05% or 1.460 to 72.720.
Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.07% or 0.90 to $1319.40 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 0.73% or 0.45 to hit $62.08 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 0.29% or 0.20 to trade at $68.04 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.40% to 1.2064, while EUR/GBP rose 0.23% to 0.8910.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.24% at 91.67.