Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Utilities, Consumer Goods and Telecoms sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 gained 1.58%.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Engie SA (PA:ENGIE), which rose 3.84% or 0.49 points to trade at 13.13 at the close. Meanwhile, Ontex Group (BR:ONTEX) added 3.84% or 0.82 points to end at 22.16 and Anheuser Busch Inbev SA NV (BR:ABI) was up 3.26% or 2.95 points to 93.45 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Telenet Group (BR:TNET), which fell 0.54% or 0.30 points to trade at 55.20 at the close. KBC (BR:KBC) declined 0.51% or 0.380 points to end at 74.800 and Aperam SA (AS:APAM) was down 0.29% or 0.12 points to 41.00.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 72 to 40 and 15 ended unchanged.
Gold Futures for April delivery was down 0.46% or 6.10 to $1321.50 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in April fell 1.16% or 0.71 to hit $60.44 a barrel, while the May Brent oil contract fell 0.84% or 0.54 to trade at $63.80 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.77% to 1.2315, while EUR/GBP fell 0.19% to 0.8913.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.60% at 90.10.