Belgian equities finished in negative territory on Monday, with the benchmark BEL 20 falling 0.27% at the close in Brussels. Declines in the Consumer Goods, Basic Materials and Consumer Services sectors weighed on the index as the trading session wrapped.
The top-performing issues on the BEL 20 during the session included Elia, which advanced 1.46% or 1.90 points to close at 131.90. Ageas also posted gains, rising 1.39% or 0.85 points to finish at 62.20, while KBC Groep NV added 1.32% or 1.50 points to end the day at 114.75.
On the downside, Sofina led losses after falling 2.50% or 6.20 points to close at 241.40. Azelis Corporate Services NV declined 2.46% or 0.24 points to 9.33, and Syensqo SA was down 2.00% or 1.60 points to 78.40.
Market breadth on the Brussels Stock Exchange showed more falling names than rising ones: 54 stocks declined, 41 advanced and 13 finished unchanged.
Elia's share price reached a three-year high in the session, closing at 131.90 after the 1.46% increase.
Commodities trading was mixed. Gold futures for April delivery retreated 0.65% or 33.04 to settle at $5,013.26 a troy ounce. In energy markets, U.S. crude for April delivery climbed 0.96% or 0.60 to $63.35 a barrel, while the April Brent contract gained 0.90% or 0.61 to trade at $68.36 a barrel.
Major currency pairs showed little net change at the close. EUR/USD was unchanged 0.14% at 1.19, while EUR/GBP was unchanged 0.02% at 0.87. The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.18% at 96.99.
Overall, the session left the BEL 20 modestly lower as select large-cap outperformers offset broader sector weakness. The consumer and materials groups were primary contributors to the downward pressure on the benchmark.