Belgium stocks higher at close of trade; BEL 20 up 1.11%

Belgian stocks closed higher on Friday, with the BEL 20 index gaining 1.11% to reach a new one-month high. The Consumer Goods, Healthcare, and Basic Materials sectors played a significant role in driving the gains. Aperam SA (AS:APAM) led the pack with a 3.64% increase, closing at 45.02 points. Umicore SA (EBR:UMI) and D’Ieteren NV (EBR:IETB) also performed well, with gains of 2.41% and 2.12% respectively.

On the downside, Elia (EBR:ELI) was the worst performer, slipping by 0.39%. In total, 63 stocks rose, 24 fell, and 16 remained unchanged, indicating a clear dominance of rising stocks. Meanwhile, gold futures for December delivery saw a 2.25% increase, reaching $4,674.31 per troy ounce. Crude oil for October delivery increased by 0.05%, while the October Brent oil contract rose by 0.58%.

The EUR/USD exchange rate held steady at 1.17, and EUR/GBP remained unchanged at 0.86. The US Dollar Index Futures also decreased by 0.09%.