Belgian stocks closed higher on Monday, with the BEL 20 advancing 1.37% to reach a fresh all-time high by the end of trading in Brussels. Gains were concentrated in the Consumer Goods, Financials and Healthcare sectors, which helped lift the benchmark.
The session's strongest performers on the BEL 20 included KBC Groep NV (EBR:KBC), which rose 2.90% - gaining 3.45 points to finish at 122.35. Syensqo SA (EBR:SYENS) added 2.79%, or 1.98 points, to close at 73.00. D'Ieteren NV (EBR:IETB) also finished near the top of the leaderboard, up 2.44% or 4.70 points to 197.60 in late trade.
On the other side of the tape, Umicore SA (EBR:UMI) ended the day down 2.89%, a decline of 0.58 points to 19.52. Azelis Corporate Services NV (EBR:AZE) slipped 0.90% or 0.08 points to 8.29, while Sofina (EBR:SOF) gave up 0.81% or 2.00 points to finish at 244.00.
Market breadth in Brussels favored advancing stocks: 53 names rose versus 41 that fell, and 14 issues finished unchanged. Notable milestones included KBC Groep NV reaching all-time highs on the session, with its 2.90% gain taking the share price to 122.35. Separately, shares of D'Ieteren NV rose to 52-week highs, closing up 2.44% at 197.60.
Outside of equities, commodity and currency markets showed significant moves. Gold Futures for April delivery declined 1.10%, a drop of 52.36 to trade at $4,692.74 a troy ounce. In energy markets, crude oil for March delivery fell 5.18% or 3.38 to $61.83 a barrel, and the April Brent oil contract decreased 4.80% or 3.33 to trade at $65.99 a barrel.
Currency pairs moved only modestly: EUR/USD was quoted unchanged at 0.34% to 1.18, while EUR/GBP was unchanged 0.12% to 0.86. The US Dollar Index Futures registered an uptick, rising 0.54% to 97.38.
Session context
The advance in the BEL 20 was led by sectors that include household consumer brands, financial institutions and healthcare companies, which together propelled the benchmark to a record close. A higher number of advancing issues versus decliners underscored the broad-based nature of Monday's move in Brussels, even as some heavyweights lagged.
What to watch
- Whether KBC Groep NV sustains its momentum after reaching all-time highs.
- Movements in energy prices, given the notable declines in crude benchmarks during the session.
- Currency and gold price trends, as shifts in these markets can influence sector performance in Belgium going forward.