Stock Markets April 2, 2026

Belgian Equities Slip at Close as BEL 20 Edges Down 0.08%

Basic Materials, Consumer Goods and Technology losses weigh on Brussels benchmark as select names post gains and others decline

By Jordan Park
Belgian Equities Slip at Close as BEL 20 Edges Down 0.08%

Belgian shares closed slightly lower on Thursday, with the BEL 20 shedding 0.08% as pressure in Basic Materials, Consumer Goods and Technology sectors outweighed gains in a handful of constituents. Market breadth was mixed, and commodity and currency moves highlighted continued volatility across related markets.

Key Points

  • The BEL 20 closed down 0.08%, with Basic Materials, Consumer Goods and Technology sectors contributing to the decline.
  • Azelis, Anheuser Busch Inbev and Ageas were notable gainers, while Syensqo, D’Ieteren and Melexis were among the largest decliners.
  • Commodity markets were volatile: gold futures fell sharply, while both WTI and Brent crude oil contracts rose materially; currency rates were largely unchanged.

Belgian equities finished marginally lower on Thursday, with the benchmark BEL 20 index ending the session down 0.08% in Brussels.

Sector declines in Basic Materials, Consumer Goods and Technology were the primary drags on the market. Nevertheless, several individual stocks recorded gains by the close.

Top performers

  • Azelis Corporate Services NV (EBR:AZE) led the session on the BEL 20, rising 2.00% or 0.18 points to finish at 8.94.
  • Anheuser Busch Inbev SA NV (EBR:ABI) added 1.25% or 0.76 points to close at 61.50.
  • Ageas (EBR:AGES) climbed 0.78% or 0.50 points to end the day at 64.85.

Laggers

  • Syensqo SA (EBR:SYENS) was the weakest performer on the index, sliding 3.59% or 1.77 points to 47.54 at the close.
  • D’Ieteren NV (EBR:IETB) declined 1.76% or 2.90 points to finish at 161.70.
  • Melexis NV (EBR:MLXS) fell 1.46% or 0.80 points to close at 54.05.

Across the Brussels Stock Exchange, advancing issues outnumbered decliners by 50 to 45, while 13 stocks finished unchanged.

Notably, Ageas (EBR:AGES) advanced to a level described as a five-year high, rising 0.78% to 64.85.

Commodities and currencies

Commodity markets showed mixed moves during the session. Gold futures for June delivery fell 2.60% or 125.00 to trade at $4,688.10 a troy ounce. In energy markets, crude oil for May delivery rose 11.16% or 11.17 to $111.29 a barrel, while the June Brent contract gained 6.33% or 6.40 to trade at $107.56 a barrel.

On the currency front, EUR/USD was effectively unchanged at 1.15, while EUR/GBP was flat at 0.87. The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.32% at 99.78.


Platform note

InvestingPro+ is presented as a service combining institutional-grade data with advanced analytical insights intended to help investors identify opportunities for 2026. The platform is promoted as offering tools to aid decision making, though outcomes are not guaranteed.

Risks

  • Volatility in commodity markets - movements in crude oil and gold could influence energy and materials sector performance.
  • Mixed market breadth - a near-even split between advancing and declining stocks suggests limited uniform direction across sectors.
  • Single-stock downside - notable declines in individual components like Syensqo, D’Ieteren and Melexis highlight idiosyncratic risks within the BEL 20.

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