Sofia stocks start week in green, Sirma Group adds 4%

The benchmark index was buoyed by gains in Sirma Group Holding [BUL:SGH], which bounced back to 1.04 levs, up by 4%, after a 2.91% dip on Friday, according to data published on the BSE website.

Rises in the operator of the stock exchange, [BUL:SGH], and diversified group Chimimport [BUL:CHIM] also backed the SOFIX. BSE rose by 5.38% to 7.8 levs, while Chimimport appreciated 2.16% to 0.71 levs.

The BGBX40, which tracks the 40 most traded shares on the Sofia bourse, was the only index to end the session in negative territory. It lost 0.11% to 168.09 points, after falling by the same margin on Friday. Its drop reflected losses in Zlaten Lev Holding [BUL:HLEV], which slid 5.56% to 3.40 levs and diversified group Stara Planina Hold [BUL:SPH], which shed 3.85% to 10.00 levs.

The BGTR30, in which companies with a free float of at least 10% have equal weight, inched up 0.02% to 851.94 points, as gains in the bourse operator, Sirma Group Holding and Chimimport offset losses in Zlaten Lev Holding.

The BGREIT index, which tracks seven real estate investment trusts, continued its positive streak and added a further 0.21% to 191.22 points. Its positive performance came on the back of a 0.79% increase in Bulgarian Real Estate Fund REIT [BUL:BREF] to 2.54 levs.

Biometric identification security systems developer Biodit [BUL:BDT] jumped 6.80% to 1.10 levs, lifting the BEAMX, which tracks the ten most highly capitalised growth companies. The BEAMX thus advanced by 0.78% to 104.21 points.

Total turnover on the main market of the Sofia bourse tripled to 3.979 million levs ($2.18 million/2.03 million) from 1.09 million levs on Friday, fuelled by active trade in Sirma Grpup Holding, the Bulgarian Stock Exchange and Advance Terrafund REIT [BUL:ATER].

(1 euro = 1.95583 levs)