Bulgarian share indices close mixed, Sofia-BT boosts turnover

A total of 144,186 Sofia-BT shares, equivalent to an 11.8% stake in the company, changed hands in 20 transactions for a combined 8.1 million levs ($5.3 million/4.1 million euro). The company stock closed at 64 levs, 7.56% up from the previous close.

The blue-chip SOFIX, which tracks the 15 most liquid shares on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange (BSE), edged down 0.02% to 318.38 points following a 0.46% increase on Tuesday.

The broader BG40, which includes the 40 most traded shares, gained 1.07% to 115.84 points after losing 0.60% in the previous trading session.

Total turnover on the regulated market rose to 8.9 million levs ($5.8 million/4.6 million euro) from 4.2 million levs on Tuesday.

Five of the 13 SOFIX components advanced on Wednesday, as many fell and three ended flat.

Mineral extracting and processing company Kaolin [BUL:6K1] led the SOFIX gainers, closing 5.26% higher at 2.6 levs as 5,200 shares changed hands.

Industrial group Stara Planina Hold [BUL:5SR] was the top blue-chip decliner, closing 5.54% lower at 2.18 levs in a volume of 1,000 shares.

The BG-REIT index, which tracks the performance of real estate investment trusts, ended 0.68% lower at 79.06 points after falling by 0.19% on Tuesday.

The BG TotalReturn30, in which companies with a free float of at least 10% have equal weight, fell 0.02% to 248.89 points following a 0.07% decrease in the previous session.

The CGIX Corporate Governance index, which includes companies strictly applying corporate governance principles, lost 2.27% to 75.85 points. It fell 1.08% on Tuesday.

(1 euro = 1.95583 Bulgarian levs)