Sofia share indices close mixed, Fibank leads blue-chip decliners

SOFIX was set back by First Investment Bank, or Fibank, [BUL:FIB], which lost 3.45% to 2.80 levs, and Advance Terrafund REIT [BUL:ATER], which tumbled 0.89% to 3.35 levs.

The fall in Advance Terrafund also constrained the BGREIT. The index, which tracks seven real estate investment trusts, slipped by 0.18% to 189.50 points.

The BEAMX index, which tracks the ten most highly capitalised growth companies, went down 0.19% to 97.47 points, following a 4.37% drop in organic foods producer and distributor Smart Organic [BUL:SO] to 19.70 levs.

In comparison, the BGBX40, which tracks the 40 most traded shares on the Sofia bourse, rose by 0.05% to 165.38 points. The index was lifted by a 5.26% jump in aluminium products manufacturer Alcomet [BUL:ALCM] to 7.00 levs and a 3.72% gain in fertiliser producer Neochim [BUL:NEOH] to 19.50 levs.

The BGTR30 index, in which companies with a free float of at least 10% have equal weight, added 0.06% to 817.64 points. It was spurred on by farming group Agria Group Holding [BUL:AGH], which grew by 2.63% to 19.50 levs, and pharmaceuticals trader Sopharma Trading [BUL:SFT], which climbed by 1.77% to 5.75 levs.

Total turnover on the main market of the Sofia bourse decreased to 361,523 levs ($198,115/184,843 euro) on Tuesday from 404,491 levs on Monday. Wednesday will be a non-trading day in Bulgaria due to a public holiday.

Fibank was the day's most liquid stock, generating 197,322 levs as 70,472 shares changed hands.

(1 euro = 1.95583 levs)