Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Monday, as gains in the Basic Materials, Consumer Goods and Utilities sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 added 0.36%.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Umicore NV (BR:UMI), which rose 1.97% or 0.90 points to trade at 46.58 at the close. Meanwhile, Solvay SA (BR:SOLB) added 1.57% or 1.38 points to end at 89.39 and NV Bekaert SA (BR:BEKB) was up 1.36% or 0.54 points to 39.74 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Galapagos NV (AS:GLPG), which fell 2.01% or 1.050 points to trade at 51.220 at the close. Proximus NV (BR:PROX) declined 0.53% or 0.15 points to end at 29.16 and Delhaize Group (BR:DELB) was down 0.51% or 0.49 points to 95.94.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 79 to 59 and 14 ended unchanged.
Shares in Umicore NV (BR:UMI) rose to 5-year highs; rising 1.97% or 0.90 to 46.58.
Gold for August delivery was up 0.36% or 4.50 to $1247.40 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in July rose 1.95% or 0.95 to hit $49.57 a barrel, while the August Brent oil contract rose 1.63% or 0.81 to trade at $50.45 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.14% to 1.1351, while EUR/GBP rose 0.37% to 0.7858.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.17% at 94.06.