Investing.com – Belgium stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Utilities, Healthcare and Consumer Goods sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 lost 0.99%.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize NV (AS:AD), which rose 1.28% or 0.24 points to trade at 19.43 at the close. Meanwhile, NV Bekaert SA (BR:BEKB) added 1.24% or 0.48 points to end at 39.48 and Proximus NV (BR:PROX) was up 0.30% or 0.08 points to 26.86 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Etablissementen Fr Colruyt NV (BR:COLR), which fell 9.39% or 4.67 points to trade at 45.12 at the close. Ontex Group (BR:ONTEX) declined 2.25% or 0.58 points to end at 25.23 and bpost NV (BR:BPOST) was down 1.75% or 0.39 points to 21.66.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 68 to 47 and 8 ended unchanged.
Shares in Etablissementen Fr Colruyt NV (BR:COLR) fell to 52-week lows; losing 9.39% or 4.67 to 45.12.
Gold for February delivery was up 0.57% or 6.55 to $1165.55 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in January fell 1.45% or 0.77 to hit $52.21 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract fell 1.04% or 0.58 to trade at $55.14 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.30% to 1.0656, while EUR/GBP fell 0.08% to 0.8387.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.23% at 100.85.