MARKET COMMENT: Brussels Stocks Close Firm; Earnings Help

    1726 GMT [Dow Jones] Bel-20 closes 1% higher at 2662.68 in line with bourses across Europe, with some strong performances after second-quarter results pushing the index higher. Anheuser-Busch InBev soars 6.9% after it said profit more than trebled, with easing food inflation and a soccer tournament in Brazil driving demand for beer. Pharmaceutical group UCB adds 3.2% to its share price after it maintained revenue and earnings outlook for 2013, despite a 3% on-year fall in first-half revenue. In the red, chemicals group Solvay fell 2.2% after it flagged a poor business outlook following a 38% fall in second-quarter net profit. (
