Ageas, Belgacom, Corio, GBL, UCB: Benelux Equity Market Preview

The following companies may have unusual price changes in Benelux markets. Stock symbols are in parentheses, and prices are from the previous close.

The AEX-Index in Amsterdam declined 1.09, or 0.3 percent, to 354.82. Belgium’s Bel20 Index fell 0.3 percent to 2,639.74. The Luxembourg LuxX Index (LUXXX) was little changed at 1,417.32.

Dutch stocks:

Corio NV (CORA) : The largest Dutch property investor said first-quarter earnings before changes in asset values and deferred tax, known as the direct result, increased to 66.2 million euros ($97 million) from 56 million euros a year earlier. Corio advanced 0.3 percent to 47.57 euros.

Belgian stocks:

Ageas (AGS) : The insurer formerly known as Fortis said it will appeal a ruling by the Rotterdam District Court, which upheld a 576,000-euro fine levied by the Dutch market regulator. Ageas dropped 0.5 percent to 2.01 euros.

Belgacom SA (BELG) : The largest telephone company in Belgium may say first-quarter net income fell to 191.4 million euros, according to the average of nine analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Belgacom lost 0.2 percent to 26.37 euros.

Groupe Bruxelles Lambert SA (GBLB) : The Belgian investment firm controlled by billionaires Albert Frere and Paul Desmarais said first-quarter net income fell to 11 million euros and reported net debt of 1.06 billion euros at the end of April. GBL retreated 0.1 percent to 66.61 euros.

UCB SA (UCB) : The maker of the Cimzia rheumatoid arthritis medicine said Schwarz Vermoegensverwaltung GmbH & Co KG cut its stake to 2.97 percent of voting rights as of April 29 from 4.96 percent on Dec. 9. UCB decreased 0.6 percent to 31.12 euros.

To contact the reporters on this story: John Martens in Brussels at jmartens1@bloomberg.net; Fred Pals in Amsterdam at fpals@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Angela Cullen at acullen8@bloomberg.net; Andrew Rummer at arummer@bloomberg.net.