BTA

Sofix, the index of the Sofia Stock Exchange (SSE), dropped by about 0.60 points to 90.90 points over the week on the backdrop of very limited turnover of securities. No contracts were made for bonds, only negligible amounts of Bulgarian depository receipts were traded.

The shares of LUKoil Neftochim Burgas, one of the major companies whose stocks participate in the formation of Sofix, declined to 4.80 leva in the middle of the week. On Friday, November 2, they increased to 5.00 leva. Sopharma-Sofia appreciated by 1.99 leva. Balkanpharma-Doupnitsa sold at 5.20 leva. Balkanpharma-Troyan went at 4.90 leva. Toplivo-Sofia's shares remained unchanged, selling at 4.00 leva. Investors paid 4.90 leva for the shares of Petrol-Sofia. The Kremikovtzi Steel Works lost 21.54 per cent to 0.51 leva a share.

Fertilizer producer Chimco-Vratsa plunged by 29.63 per cent to 0.19 leva. Albena-Balchik dropped by 2.16 per cent to 6.80 leva. Park Hotel Saint Petersburg traded at 6.00 leva. In August, brokers paid 0.90 leva for its shares. Sunny Beach-Nessebur sold its shares at 11.00 leva. Investors paid 17.00 leva for the shares of M+C Hidravlik, a producer of hydraulic equipment of Kazanluk. Bulgarska Rosa-Plovdiv lost 8.57 per cent to 3.20 leva per share. The Sofia BT cigarette factory dropped by 10 per cent to 8.10 leva. Ekofilter, a producer of purifying equipment based in Burgas, appreciated by 9.53 per cent to 45.00 leva.

The Central Cooperative Bank lost almost 11 per cent to 0.57 leva; however, the bank sold only 400 shares. In October, the price of its securities was 0.70 leva and the bank sold more than 1.6 million of them. The buy-back price of the shares of the Zlaten Lev insurer has been 2.63 leva since the beginning of this month. It is equal to the net value of the assets per share by the date of determining that value. The net value of these securities is among the highest among the shares of the former privatization funds. According to brokers, this is a pleasant surprise for investors who earn a profit of 15-20 per cent a year. The shares of most former privatization funds trade on the exchange at 0.25-1.80 leva for 1.00 lev par. SOFIX Date Value/in pts Change October 29 91.55 0.00 October 30 91.16 - 0.39 October 31 91.66 + 0.50 November 1 90.56 - 1.10 November 2 90.90 + 0.34.