Belgian Stocks Close Lower as BEL 20 Slips 0.88%

Belgian equities ended Monday’s trading session lower, with sustained selling in the consumer goods, basic materials and healthcare sectors dragging the broader market into the red.

At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 benchmark fell 0.88%.

Melexis NV (EBR:MLXS) posted the strongest gain on the BEL 20, climbing 3.04% or 2.00 points to close at 67.85. Sofina (EBR:SOF) added 1.43% or 3.60 points to settle at 255.60, while Elia (EBR:ELI) advanced 1.09% or 1.30 points, ending late trade at 120.40.

The biggest decliners were Argen-X (EBR:ARGX), which slipped 2.71% or 24.20 points to trade at 869.40 at the close. Aperam SA (AS:APAM) dropped 2.63% or 1.30 points to end at 48.12, while Azelis Corporate Services NV (EBR:AZE) fell 2.52% or 0.31 points to finish at 12.00.

On the Brussels exchange, decliners outnumbered advancers, 63 to 27, with 12 stocks ending the session unchanged.

Gold futures for December delivery fell 0.38%, or 16.91, to $4,459.69 per troy ounce. In commodities trading, crude oil for October delivery advanced 1.79%, or 1.64, to hit $93.12 a barrel, while November Brent crude climbed 1.47%, or 1.42, to trade at $97.70 per barrel.

EUR/USD was virtually flat at 1.16, reflecting a 0.11% daily move, while EUR/GBP was similarly little changed at 0.86, with a 0.06% change.

The US Dollar Index futures declined 0.27% to 98.88.