Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Telecoms, Financials and Utilities sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 added 1.22% to hit a new 52-week high.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Ontex Group (BR:ONTEX), which rose 4.14% or 1.21 points to trade at 30.41 at the close. Meanwhile, Ackermans V.Haaren (BR:ACKB) added 3.05% or 4.30 points to end at 145.35 and KBC (BR:KBC) was up 2.84% or 1.730 points to 62.560 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were NV Bekaert SA (BR:BEKB), which fell 0.39% or 0.18 points to trade at 45.53 at the close. Etablissementen Fr Colruyt NV (BR:COLR) declined 0.07% or 0.03 points to end at 45.05 and Anheuser Busch Inbev SA NV (BR:ABI) was down 0.05% or 0.05 points to 100.40.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 61 to 48 and 15 ended unchanged.
Shares in Ackermans V.Haaren (BR:ACKB) rose to all time highs; gaining 3.05% or 4.30 to 145.35. Shares in KBC (BR:KBC) rose to 52-week highs; rising 2.84% or 1.730 to 62.560.
Gold Futures for April delivery was down 0.52% or 6.25 to $1203.15 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in April fell 2.55% or 1.28 to hit $49.00 a barrel, while the May Brent oil contract fell 2.39% or 1.27 to trade at $51.84 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.38% to 1.0581, while EUR/GBP rose 0.42% to 0.8699.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.17% at 101.94.