Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Consumer Services, Financials and Media sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 added 0.27%.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize NV (AS:AD), which rose 5.92% or 1.16 points to trade at 20.68 at the close. Meanwhile, Ageas (BR:AGES) added 2.15% or 0.830 points to end at 39.385 and Etablissementen Fr Colruyt NV (BR:COLR) was up 1.29% or 0.58 points to 46.00 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Galapagos NV (AS:GLPG), which fell 2.28% or 1.460 points to trade at 62.500 at the close. Umicore NV (BR:UMI) declined 1.87% or 1.01 points to end at 53.12 and Ontex Group (BR:ONTEX) was down 1.50% or 0.42 points to 28.00.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 65 to 47 and 13 ended unchanged.
Shares in Ageas (BR:AGES) rose to 52-week highs; rising 2.15% or 0.830 to 39.385.
Gold for February delivery was down 1.13% or 13.75 to $1198.35 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 0.20% or 0.10 to hit $51.18 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 0.24% or 0.13 to trade at $54.05 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.08% to 1.0621, while EUR/GBP fell 0.45% to 0.8632.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.18% at 101.49.