Investing.com – Belgium stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Telecoms , Healthcare and Basic Materials sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Brussels, the BEL 20 gained 0.25%.

The best performers of the session on the BEL 20 were Umicore SA (EBR: UMI ), which rose 1.80% or 0.18 points to trade at 10.20 at the close. Meanwhile, UCB SA (EBR: UCB ) added 1.59% or 2.90 points to end at 185.35 and Warehouses de Pauw Comm VA (EBR: WDPP ) was up 1.36% or 0.28 points to 20.92 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Argen-X (EBR: ARGX ), which fell 0.74% or 4.40 points to trade at 586.40 at the close. Azelis Corporate Services NV (EBR: AZE ) declined 0.70% or 0.13 points to end at 18.42 and Ageas (EBR: AGES ) was down 0.46% or 0.22 points to 47.76.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Brussels Stock Exchange by 47 to 43 and 16 ended unchanged.

Shares in UCB SA (EBR: UCB ) rose to all time highs; gaining 1.59% or 2.90 to 185.35.

Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.72% or 19.24 to $2,684.04 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in January rose 0.07% or 0.05 to hit $68.77 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract fell 0.43% or 0.31 to trade at $72.47 a barrel.

EUR/USD was unchanged 0.02% to 1.06, while EUR/GBP unchanged 0.13% to 0.83.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.01% at 106.04.