Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Utilities, Basic Materials and Healthcare sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 rose 0.50%.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Galapagos NV (AS:GLPG), which rose 3.03% or 2.380 points to trade at 80.870 at the close. Meanwhile, Engie SA (PA:ENGIE) added 2.95% or 0.38 points to end at 13.10 and Ontex Group (BR:ONTEX) was up 1.68% or 0.50 points to 30.25 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were KBC (BR:KBC), which fell 0.97% or 0.610 points to trade at 62.510 at the close. Aperam (AS:APAM) declined 0.87% or 0.41 points to end at 46.41 and Proximus NV (BR:PROX) was down 0.51% or 0.15 points to 29.10.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 59 to 47 and 11 ended unchanged.
Shares in Galapagos NV (AS:GLPG) rose to all time highs; up 3.03% or 2.380 to 80.870.
Gold Futures for April delivery was down 0.33% or 4.15 to $1251.45 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in May rose 1.88% or 0.91 to hit $49.28 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract rose 1.75% or 0.90 to trade at $52.32 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.56% to 1.0753, while EUR/GBP fell 0.16% to 0.8669.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.40% at 99.93.