Bulgarian stock indices retreat amid higher turnover

The benchmark index was set back by pharmaceuticals trader Sopharma Trading [BUL:SFT], which erased 2.50% to 5.85 levs, and diversified group Doverie United Holding [BUL:DUH], which went down 2.34% to 8.34 levs.

The two companies also constrained the BGBX40, which tracks the 40 most traded shares on the Sofia bourse, by 0.09% to 156.80 points. The biggest decliner in the index, however, was steel radiator manufacturer Korado Bulgaria [BUL:KBG], which dropped by 3.93% to 4.40 levs.

The BGTR30, in which companies with a free float of at least 10% have equal weight, dipped by 0.09% to 781.07 points on the back of the losses at Sopharma Trading and Doverie United Holding, as well as a 1.39% tumble at software developer Sirma Group Holding [BUL:SGH] to 0.71 levs.

A 2.91% slip in Sopharma Buildings REIT [BUL:SFB] to 20.00 levs and a 0.30% decline in Advance Terrafund REIT [BUL:ATER] to 3.29 levs pushed down the BGREIT index, which tracks seven real estate investment trusts. The index ended the session 0.12% lower at 188.75 points.

The BEAMX index, which tracks the ten most highly capitalised growth companies, retreated 0.12% to 98.59 points. It was hit by a 2.78% fall in biometric identification security systems developer Biodit [BUL:BDT] to 1.40 levs.

Total turnover on the main market of the Sofia bourse surged to 1.59 million levs ($893,028/812,951 euro) on Wednesday from 395,279 levs on Tuesday.

With some 22,072 shares traded, farming group Agria Group Holding [BUL:AGH] was the day's top stock by turnover, which came in at 454,683 levs. The company's shares closed 3.00% higher at 20.60 levs.

(1 euro = 1.95583 levs)