Sofia bourse indices reverse losses amid soaring turnover

The benchmark index was buoyed by hydraulic equipment manufacturer M+S Hydraulic [BUL:MSH] and pharmaceuticals trader Sopharma Trading [BUL:SFT]. M+S Hydraulic went up 2.70% to 11.40 levs, whereas Sopharma Trading rose 2.52% to 6.10 levs.

M+S Hydraulic and Sopharma Trading also drove up the BGTR30 index, in which companies with a free float of at least 10% have equal weight. The index climbed 0.21% to 784.04 points, further supported by a 1.48% rise in farming group Agria Group Holding [BUL:AGH] to 20.60 levs.

The BGBX40, which tracks the 40 most traded shares on the Sofia bourse, grew by 0.18% to 157.27 points. The index was boosted by the increases at M+S Hydraulic, Sopharma Trading and Agria Group, but the biggest gainer was cable and wire manufacturer Emka [BUL:EMKA], which jumped by 3.52% to 2.06 levs.

The BGREIT, which tracks seven real estate investment trusts, surged by 1.43% to 189.55 points. The index was spurred on by Sopharma Buildings REIT [BUL:SFB], which soared 17.44% to 20.20 levs, and Bulgarian Real Estate Fund REIT [BUL:BREF], which advanced by 0.84% to 2.40 levs.

Finally, the BEAMX index, which tracks the most highly capitalised growth companies, ended the session 0.46% higher at 99.48 points. It was lifted by a 2.00% rise in organic foods producer and distributor Smart Organic [BUL:SO] to 20.40 levs and a 1.67% growth in investment firm ImPulse I [BUL:IMP] to 1.22 levs.

Total turnover on the main market of the BSE nearly trebled to 9.32 million levs ($5.18 million/4.77 million euro) on Monday from 3.3 million levs on Friday.

The day's top stock by turnover, generating 259,211 levs with 36,304 shares traded, was pharmaceuticals maker Sopharma [BUL:SFA]. The stock closed 0.56% higher at 7.14 levs.

(1 euro = 1.95583 levs)