(Updates with full report)
BRUSSELS (Thomson Financial) - Shares in Brussels closed higher, with imaging technology group Agfa-Gevaert leading the blue-chip index upwards.
At the close, the Bel 20 was up 16.46 points or 0.42 percent at 3,909.61.
Agfa-Gevaert climbed 0.32 euros or 6.67 percent to 5.12. A report on Belgian news website Trends said U.S. private equity firm Gores Group is interested in acquiring Agfa. KBC Securities said in a note to clients that such interest 'underlines' the value a company like Agfa-Gevaert still has.
Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (GBL) rose 1.60 euros or 2.00 percent to 81.67, after it posted first quarter net profit as rising to 118.8 million euros from 69.2 million last year, due to the inclusion of its stake in Lafarge and capital gains. The group said the market is too volatile to make meaningful forecasts.
Utility Suez was up 1.03 euros or 2.25 percent at 46.75 on the higher first quarter sales and operating profit it posted on Tuesday. The group also confirmed its 2008 targets.
Elsewhere, zinc alloying and smelting group Nyrstar gained 0.21 euros or 1.56 percent at 13.71, while national telecoms operator Belgacom was up 0.645 euros or 2.21 percent at 29.785.
Among the heavyweight financials, KBC Group rose 1.16 euros or 1.36 percent to 86.62, while Fortis was up 0.18 euros or 1.05 percent at 17.25.
Peer Dexia bucked the trend -- declining by 0.33 euros or 1.87 percent to 17.35.
Among the fallers, supermarket group Delhaize fell 3.79 euros or 6.69 percent to 52.83. The group posted lower-than-expected first-quarter operating profit of 205.7 million euros, with group sales hit by a 12.5 percent fall in the value of the U.S. dollar against the euro. Degroof cut its rating on the stock to 'accumulate' from 'buy', while Petercam cut to 'hold' from 'buy'.
In a conference call, the group said the second quarter will be challenging due to tough comparables and that most of its operating profit will be seen in the second half.
Craig Owens, chief financial officer, said the group's second-quarter last year benefited from one-off items including a small disposal gain on beauty care business Di.
Peer Colruyt was down 0.44 euros or 0.26 percent at 166.00.
Brewer InBev edged down 0.19 euros or 0.36 percent to 53.00. The group is expected to post a modest year-on-year rise in first-quarter net profit before the market opens on Thursday, on higher sales driven by its operations in Latin America and Central and Eastern Europe.
Outside the Bel 20, healthcare group Thrombogenics rose 0.10 euros or 1.09 percent to 9.30, after it said it expects to present the results of its placebo-controlled Phase IIb vitrectomy study with microplasmin at the end of June.
Chemicals group Tessenderlo was up 1.11 euros or 3.48 percent at 33.03, while Recticel edged up by 0.05 euros or 0.54 percent to 9.30, after it posted a rise in first quarter sales of 5 percent.
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