Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Technology, Pharma & Bio-technology and Healthcare sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 rose 1.31%.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were DIeteren SA (BRU:IETB), which rose 2.68% or 0.980 points to trade at 37.590 at the close. Meanwhile, UCB (BRU:UCB) added 2.53% or 1.76 points to end at 71.20 and Umicore NV (BRU:UMI) was up 2.31% or 0.81 points to 36.02 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Engie SA (PARIS:ENGIE), which fell 0.45% or 0.07 points to trade at 15.48 at the close. KBC (BRU:KBC) added 0.19% or 0.110 points to end at 58.420 and Elia (BRU:ELI) was up 0.30% or 0.115 points to 38.715.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 122 to 31 and 6 ended unchanged.
Shares in DIeteren SA (BRU:IETB) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 2.68% or 0.980 to 37.590.
Gold for December delivery was down 0.94% or 10.60 to $1123.00 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in October rose 2.53% or 1.17 to hit $47.42 a barrel, while the October Brent oil contract rose 1.61% or 0.81 to trade at $51.31 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 1.07% to 1.1106, while EUR/GBP fell 0.74% to 0.7284.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.64% at 96.50.