Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Basic Materials, Healthcare and Technology sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 added 0.21%.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Umicore NV (BR:UMI), which rose 3.18% or 2.06 points to trade at 66.80 at the close. Meanwhile, NV Bekaert SA (BR:BEKB) added 3.14% or 1.42 points to end at 46.47 and Galapagos NV (AS:GLPG) was up 0.98% or 0.650 points to 67.250 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Proximus NV (BR:PROX), which fell 0.61% or 0.19 points to trade at 31.04 at the close. KBC (BR:KBC) declined 0.53% or 0.360 points to end at 67.830 and Ageas (BR:AGES) was down 0.32% or 0.120 points to 37.665.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 61 to 45 and 18 ended unchanged.
Shares in Umicore NV (BR:UMI) rose to all time highs; up 3.18% or 2.06 to 66.80.
Gold Futures for August delivery was up 0.84% or 10.24 to $1227.54 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in August rose 1.02% or 0.47 to hit $46.55 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract rose 1.03% or 0.50 to trade at $48.92 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.49% to 1.1454, while EUR/GBP fell 0.57% to 0.8759.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.57% at 95.02.