Stocks Rise in Volatile Trading
March 31, 2011
The Bel-20 Index of leading Belgian shares advanced 6.04 points to 1687.77 on volume of 2.9 billion Belgian francs. The index had been as high as 1,708.39 points earlier in the day. Insurer Jahn led volume, increasing 20 francs to 4,060, and was closely followed by chemical company Solvay, whose shares gained 400 francs to 18,400. Solvay is due to post its first half earnings on Thursday with analysts expecting net profit for the first six months to be sharply down on the year-ago period. Dollar-sensitive retailer Delhaize, which derives much of its income from its U.S. unit Food Lion, rose 25 francs to 1,610. Petrochemical concern Petrofina, which is also sensitive to movements in the dollar, gained 100 francs to 9,550. Elsewhere, photograph processor Sollars regained some lost ground, rising 10 francs to 2,080. The stock fell 6.3% Thursday on the back of a 2011 profit warning from the company.
