July 24 (SeeNews) - The Bulgarian Stock Exchange blue-chip SOFIX index rose 0.32% to 580.99 points on Wednesday, backed by software group Sirma Group Holding [BUL:SKK] and the two lenders among its members - First Investment Bank (Fibank) [BUL:5F4] and Central Cooperative Bank [BUL:4CF].
Fibank shares gained 2.67% to 3.08 levs, while CCB added 2.04% to 1.50 levs on Wednesday.
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The European Central Bank (ECB) is due to publish the results of a comprehensive assessment of several Bulgarian lenders, including Fibank and CCB, by the end of this month.
Sirma Group Holding shares advanced 2.07% to 0.74 levs on Wednesday.
Last week, Sirma Group Holding hit an all-time low closing price of 0.62 levs. However, the company's shares have bounced back since after it announced plans for a 20 million levs share repurchase programme, targeting 32% of its stock.
The wider BGBX40 index, which tracks the 40 most traded shares on the stock exchange in Sofia, closed the session 0.15% higher as car battery maker Monbat [BUL:5MB] led gainers among its members with a 3.82% rise.
The BGTR30 index, in which companies with a free float of at least 10% have equal weight, added 0.38% to 509.72 points, also backed by Monbat shares.
The BGREIT index, which tracks real estate investment trusts, erased 0.10% to 126.66 points, due to a 0.52% decrease in the share price of Advance Terrafund REIT [BUL:6A6].
Total regulated market trading turnover rose to 288,000 levs on Wednesday from 156,000 levs on Tuesday.
(1 euro = 1.95583 levs)