Investing.com – Belgium stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Utilities, Financials and Industrials sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 lost 0.91%.
The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were NV Bekaert SA (BR:BEKB), which rose 1.60% or 0.77 points to trade at 48.51 at the close. Meanwhile, Umicore NV (BR:UMI) added 1.15% or 0.67 points to end at 59.09 and UCB (BR:UCB) was up 0.96% or 0.73 points to 76.49 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Aperam SA (AS:APAM), which fell 4.61% or 2.13 points to trade at 44.06 at the close. KBC (BR:KBC) declined 3.07% or 2.100 points to end at 66.400 and Ontex Group (BR:ONTEX) was down 2.79% or 0.93 points to 32.19.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 55 to 54 and 16 ended unchanged.
Shares in Umicore NV (BR:UMI) rose to all time highs; gaining 1.15% or 0.67 to 59.09. Shares in UCB (BR:UCB) rose to 52-week highs; up 0.96% or 0.73 to 76.49.
Gold Futures for June delivery was up 0.39% or 4.80 to $1223.70 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in June rose 1.39% or 0.66 to hit $47.99 a barrel, while the July Brent oil contract rose 1.35% or 0.68 to trade at $50.90 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.02% to 1.0865, while EUR/GBP rose 0.50% to 0.8441.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.03% at 99.53.