Belgium stocks higher at close of trade; BEL 20 up 0.91%

Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Healthcare, Technology and Basic Materials sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 added 0.91%.

The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Argen-X (EBR:ARGX), which rose 4.39% or 20.40 points to trade at 485.40 at the close. Meanwhile, Sofina (EBR:SOF) added 3.86% or 10.20 points to end at 274.40 and Melexis NV (EBR:MLXS) was up 3.29% or 2.40 points to 75.35 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Lotus Bakeries (EBR:LOTB), which fell 2.78% or 220.00 points to trade at 7,680.00 at the close. Umicore SA (EBR:UMI) declined 1.39% or 0.20 points to end at 14.22 and Elia (EBR:ELI) was down 1.18% or 1.15 points to 96.50.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 62 to 36 and 9 ended unchanged.

Shares in Lotus Bakeries (EBR:LOTB) fell to 52-week lows; falling 2.78% or 220.00 to 7,680.00.

Gold Futures for August delivery was up 0.23% or 7.75 to $3,328.75 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in August fell 2.38% or 1.63 to hit $66.75 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract fell 2.09% or 1.47 to trade at $68.72 a barrel.

EUR/USD was unchanged 0.32% to 1.17, while EUR/GBP unchanged 0.14% to 0.86.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.20% at 97.39.