The Belgian share market closed marginally down on Friday, with the BEL 20 index finishing 0.26% lower in Brussels. The downturn was primarily driven by losses in the Technology, Financials, and Industrials sectors which exerted downward pressure on the benchmark.
Among individual stocks, D’Ieteren NV emerged as the session's top performer, gaining 4.13% to close at 194.10, marking a 52-week high. Similarly, Umicore SA advanced 2.46% to end at 20.86, also hitting a 52-week peak. Elia saw its shares rise by 2.13% to 115.10 towards the end of trading.
Conversely, Ageas shares declined by 2.12% to 57.75, making it the worst performer of the day. Melexis NV and KBC Groep NV also saw their shares retreat, down 2.08% and 1.28% respectively, closing at 63.50 and 115.40.
Market breadth reflected cautious sentiment, with 56 stocks falling against 37 gaining on the Brussels Stock Exchange. Additionally, 18 stocks remained unchanged.
In the commodities markets, February Gold Futures rose sharply by 1.43%, reaching $4,983.55 per troy ounce. Crude oil prices also showed notable gains; March WTI crude increased 2.71% to $60.97 per barrel, while March Brent crude rose 2.65% to $65.76 per barrel.
In forex, the euro showed stability against major currencies, holding steady at 1.18 versus the U.S. dollar and 0.87 against the British pound. Meanwhile, the U.S. Dollar Index Futures decreased by 0.40%, settling at 97.79.
These mixed signals indicate persistent volatility across several asset classes as investors weigh sector-specific pressures alongside commodity strength.