Investing.com – Belgium stocks were lower after the close on Friday, as losses in the Financials, Consumer Goods and Technology sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 lost 0.20% to hit a new 52-week low.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Ontex Group (BR:ONTEX), which rose 2.35% or 0.38 points to trade at 16.55 at the close. Meanwhile, ING Groep NV (AS:INGA) added 1.42% or 0.133 points to end at 9.490 and Solvay SA (BR:SOLB) was up 0.97% or 0.84 points to 87.84 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Galapagos NV (AS:GLPG), which fell 4.07% or 3.420 points to trade at 80.660 at the close. Sofina (BR:SOF) declined 1.45% or 2.40 points to end at 163.40 and UCB (BR:UCB) was down 1.42% or 1.04 points to 72.22.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 54 to 50 and 18 ended unchanged.
Gold Futures for February delivery was down 0.59% or 7.45 to $1260.45 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February fell 0.26% or 0.12 to hit $45.76 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract fell 0.94% or 0.51 to trade at $53.84 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.45% to 1.1394, while EUR/GBP fell 0.54% to 0.8995.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.54% at 96.245.