Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Financials, Telecoms and Technology sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 gained 0.95% to hit a new 1-month high.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were KBC (BR:KBC), which rose 3.99% or 2.350 points to trade at 61.280 at the close. Meanwhile, NV Bekaert SA (BR:BEKB) added 1.99% or 0.81 points to end at 41.52 and Ageas (BR:AGES) was up 1.84% or 0.680 points to 37.705 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Elia (BR:ELI), which fell 2.07% or 0.995 points to trade at 47.100 at the close. Ontex Group (BR:ONTEX) declined 0.99% or 0.25 points to end at 24.90 and UCB (BR:UCB) was down 0.41% or 0.24 points to 58.82.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 56 to 49 and 15 ended unchanged.
Shares in KBC (BR:KBC) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 3.99% or 2.350 to 61.280.
Gold for February delivery was down 0.42% or 4.95 to $1172.55 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in January rose 1.41% or 0.70 to hit $50.47 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract rose 1.17% or 0.62 to trade at $53.62 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 1.26% to 1.0620, while EUR/GBP fell 0.83% to 0.8447.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.85% at 101.13.