Macedonian Blue Chips Mostly Rise despite Uncertainty on Global Markets

The MBI index tracking the 10 blue chips on the Macedonian bourse gained 0.68% this week, closing at 7,150.6 points. The only day of the week the index was down was Tuesday when it lost 0.5%.

Stock markets in southeastern Europe posted hefty losses in January, triggered by global fears of a possible U.S. recession.

Total turnover on the MSE rose to 314.1 million denars ($7.5 million/5.1 million euro) from 308.7 million denars last week. Turnover on the bourse's official floor fell to 228.3 million denars from 245.2 million denars a week earlier, while the turnover on the unofficial floor increased to 85.9 million denars from 63.5 million denars a week earlier.

Fuel retailer Makpetrol was the biggest gainer among the blue chips, rising 3.94% over the week. On the low end, Macedonia's largest steel mill, Makstil, lost 3.63%.

Following are the closing prices of the MBI components on Friday:

The bourse's broader index, MBID, closed at 7,826.19 points, down 0. 32% from last Friday. The index, which was introduced in June, includes the shares of the 14 most liquid companies over a six-month period.

The MSE's bond index, OMB, added 0.25% this week to close at 105.53 points.

(1 euro = 62.0812 Macedonian denars)