Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Telecoms , Utilities and Consumer Services sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 rose 0.23%.

The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Elia (EBR: ELI ), which rose 4.43% or 2.80 points to trade at 66.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Sofina (EBR: SOF ) added 1.17% or 2.60 points to end at 224.40 and Azelis Corporate Services NV (EBR: AZE ) was up 1.17% or 0.22 points to 19.08 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Lotus Bakeries (EBR: LOTB ), which fell 1.91% or 200.00 points to trade at 10,260.00 at the close. KBC Groep NV (EBR: KBC ) declined 0.76% or 0.56 points to end at 73.34 and Melexis NV (EBR: MLXS ) was down 0.59% or 0.35 points to 59.30.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 53 to 47 and 7 ended unchanged.

Gold Futures for February delivery was up 1.36% or 36.96 to $2,754.76 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March fell 1.51% or 1.19 to hit $77.52 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract fell 1.39% or 1.14 to trade at $80.89 a barrel.

EUR/USD was unchanged 0.10% to 1.03, while EUR/GBP unchanged 0.08% to 0.84.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.11% at 108.80.