Investing.com – Belgium stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Utilities, Financials and Construction & Materials sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 declined 2.78% to hit a new 52-week low.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Umicore NV (BR:UMI), which rose 2.61% or 0.91 points to trade at 35.81 at the close. Meanwhile, Elia (BR:ELI) added 0.42% or 0.175 points to end at 41.935 and NV Bekaert SA (BR:BEKB) was up 0.18% or 0.05 points to 27.29 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Delta Lloyd (AS:DLL), which fell 13.58% or 0.60 points to trade at 3.81 at the close. Engie SA (PA:ENGIE) declined 5.84% or 0.81 points to end at 13.14 and KBC (BR:KBC) was down 4.70% or 2.220 points to 45.045.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 113 to 36 and 8 ended unchanged.
Shares in Delta Lloyd (AS:DLL) fell to all time lows; down 13.58% or 0.60 to 3.81. Shares in Engie SA (PA:ENGIE) fell to all time lows; falling 5.84% or 0.81 to 13.14. Shares in KBC (BR:KBC) fell to 52-week lows; losing 4.70% or 2.220 to 45.045.
Gold for April delivery was up 5.12% or 61.20 to $1255.80 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March fell 2.04% or 0.56 to hit $26.89 a barrel, while the April Brent oil contract fell 1.69% or 0.52 to trade at $30.32 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.62% to 1.1362, while EUR/GBP rose 1.09% to 0.7859.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.51% at 95.35.