Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Utilities, Financials and Healthcare sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 rose 0.16%.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were D'Ieteren (D) (BRU:IETB), which rose 1.99% or 0.675 points to trade at 34.650 at the close. Meanwhile, KBC (BRU:KBC) added 1.44% or 0.850 points to end at 60.000 and GDF Suez (PARIS:GSZ) was up 1.33% or 0.26 points to 19.39 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Telenet Group (BRU:TNET), which fell 1.88% or 1.02 points to trade at 53.25 at the close. Umicore (D) (BRU:UMI) declined 1.50% or 0.64 points to end at 42.00 and Belgacom (BRU:BCOM) was down 0.61% or 0.21 points to 33.97.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 98 to 74 and 2 ended unchanged.
Shares in D'Ieteren (D) (BRU:IETB) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 1.99% or 0.675 to 34.650. Shares in KBC (BRU:KBC) rose to 5-year highs; gaining 1.44% or 0.850 to 60.000.
Gold for June delivery was up 0.29% or 3.50 to $1196.10 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in May rose 4.71% or 2.51 to hit $55.80 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract rose 4.22% or 2.52 to trade at $62.34 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.46% to 1.0607, while EUR/GBP fell 0.44% to 0.7176.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.15% at 99.16.