Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Construction & Materials, Financials and Industrials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 gained 0.27%.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were NV Bekaert SA (BRU:BEKB), which rose 5.70% or 1.58 points to trade at 29.30 at the close. Meanwhile, KBC (BRU:KBC) added 2.99% or 1.900 points to end at 65.340 and Befimmo-Sicafi (BRU:BEFBb) was up 0.78% or 0.460 points to 59.410 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were bpost NV (BRU:BPOST), which fell 1.29% or 0.34 points to trade at 26.32 at the close. Telenet Group (BRU:TNET) declined 1.13% or 0.60 points to end at 52.72 and Proximus NV (BRU:PROX) was down 0.68% or 0.24 points to 34.87.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 87 to 78 and 5 ended unchanged.
Shares in NV Bekaert SA (BRU:BEKB) rose to 52-week highs; rising 5.70% or 1.58 to 29.30. Shares in KBC (BRU:KBC) rose to 5-year highs; rising 2.99% or 1.900 to 65.340.
Gold for December delivery was up 0.48% or 5.20 to $1090.80 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in September fell 1.99% or 0.90 to hit $44.25 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract fell 1.34% or 0.67 to trade at $48.92 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.22% to 1.0930, while EUR/GBP rose 0.78% to 0.7044.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.12% at 97.86.