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Belgium’s BEL 20 index ended the trading session on a down note, slipping 0.37% on Tuesday as losses in the Utilities, Industrials, and Consumer Services sectors weighed heavily on the market.
At the close, the BEL 20 stood at 3,720.89 points, with key stocks facing a mixed day of trading.
Top Performers
Among the session’s best performers, Umicore SA (EBR) rose by 1.87%, adding 0.20 points to close at €10.90. Argen-X (EBR) followed with a 1.64% gain, rising 8.40 points to end at €520.60, reaching an all-time high. Melexis NV (EBR) also posted modest gains, closing up 0.50% at €70.20.
Worst Performers
On the downside, Elia (EBR) was the worst performer of the day, dropping 3.67% or 3.50 points to close at €91.90.
Cofinimmo SA (EBR) also struggled, shedding 1.84% to end at €61.35, while UCB SA (EBR) fell 1.70%, closing at €171.00.
In total, falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by a margin of 71 to 32, with 11 stocks ending the day unchanged.
Commodities and Currency Movements
Gold futures for December delivery rose 0.54%, closing at $2,753.60 per troy ounce. Oil markets saw a sharp uptick, with Crude Oil for December delivery gaining 2.93% to reach $72.09 per barrel. Meanwhile, Brent Oil for December delivery climbed 2.72%, trading at $76.31 per barrel.
In the currency markets, the EUR/USD was mostly flat, showing a 0.10% change at 1.08. Similarly, the EUR/GBP remained relatively stable, unchanged at 0.04%, ending at 0.83. The US Dollar Index Futures rose by 0.06% to 103.90.
Outlook
The broader market remains volatile as investor sentiment continues to be influenced by economic and geopolitical developments. The utilities and industrial sectors are facing additional pressure, which may contribute to continued fluctuations in the coming days.
