BEL 20 rises 1.06% toward record at midday
Published on 11/09/2026 at 13:13 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSBEL 20 holds above 6,000
- The index stood at 6,059.77 points at 12:00 CET, up 1.06 percent from Friday's close.
- Argenx led the advance after announcing its planned acquisition of Unnatural Products, while UCB also gained after new clinical data.
- The BEL 20 moved above its previous record as investors also assessed stronger Asian markets and mixed signals ahead of Wall Street.
The BEL 20 extended its advance on Monday, November 9, as trading in Brussels continued. The index stood at 6,059.77 points at 12:00 CET, according to the Beursduivel liveblog. That was 63.70 points, or 1.06 percent, above Friday's close of 5,996.07 points.
Argenx provides the main lift
Argenx was the most prominent positive influence on the benchmark. The biotech company announced an agreement to acquire Unnatural Products, a transaction that could be worth up to 1.15 billion US dollars, including 550 million US dollars in upfront cash and as much as 595 million US dollars in development and regulatory milestones. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2026, subject to customary conditions, according to the company's Form 6-K filing.
UCB also supported the index after reporting new results from clinical studies in psoriasis and lupus. The Beursduivel market update also identified gains in Melexis and Lotus Bakeries, while Aperam and Azelis were among the weaker constituents. Deutsche Bank had lowered its price target for Aperam, according to the report.
New record territory
The advance took the index above its previous record level. Le Soir reported that the BEL 20 had reached 6,058.34 points shortly before 11:00 CET, a gain of 1.04 percent, with argenx up 4.6 percent at that time. The earlier record cited by Beursduivel was 6,051.88 points, reached on Thursday.
Broader market backdrop
European investors were also responding to a recovery in several Asian markets after last week's volatility. The Beursduivel report noted measures in Taiwan aimed at supporting the stock market, including restrictions on short selling. At the same time, oil prices were lower and investors were looking ahead to the US session and this week's US inflation data. The index's gain therefore reflected both company-specific news in Brussels and a broader improvement in risk sentiment, although technology-sector concerns remained relevant ahead of Wall Street.
Further BEL 20 coverage is available on the BEL 20 topic page.
