Investing.com – Belgium equities were higher at the close on Thursday, as gains in the BEL Health Care Net Return, BEL Consumer Goods Net Return and BEL Financials Net Return sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 gained 0.07%.
The biggest gainers of the session on the BEL 20 were UCB SA (EBR:UCB), which rose 2.60% or 3.95 points to trade at 156.15 at the close. KBC Groep NV (EBR:KBC) added 0.70% or 0.46 points to end at 66.06 and Ageas (EBR:AGES) was up 0.67% or 0.28 points to 41.84 in late trade.
Biggest losers included Umicore SA (EBR:UMI), which fell 3.52% or 0.42 points to trade at 11.50 in late trade. Galapagos NV (AS:GLPG) declined 2.40% or 0.58 points to end at 23.56 and Warehouses de Pauw Comm VA (EBR:WDPP) down 1.32% or 0.32 points to 23.98.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones by 52 to 36 and 15 ended unchanged on the Brussels Stock Exchange.
Shares in Umicore SA (EBR:UMI) fell to 5-year lows; losing 3.52% or 0.42 to 11.50.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 1.13% or 27.40 to $2,459.80 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in September rose 0.88% or 0.66 to hit $75.89 a barrel, while the October Brent oil contract rose 0.47% or 0.37 to trade at $78.70 a barrel.
EUR/USD was unchanged 0.07% to 1.09, while EUR/GBP unchanged 0.48% to 0.86.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.06% at 103.06.