June 28 (SeeNews) - Bulgarian Stock Exchange indices closed a second consecutive trading session with hefty gains, mainly backed by local holding companies.
The BGREIT index, which tracks real estate investment trusts, gained 1.60% to a record high of 125.83 points on Friday, backed by a 12.50% jump in the share price of Roi Property Fund REIT [BUL:RPR]. The BGREIT set its previous peak, of 124.01 points, on June 19.
The blue-chip SOFIX index closed 1.01% higher at 587.81 points, supported by local groups Holding Varna [BUL:5V2], Eurohold Bulgaria [BUL:4EH] and Doverie United Holding [BUL:5DOV]. Holding Varna led gainers with a 5.64% rise, followed by a 4.0% increase in the share prices of Eurohold Bulgaria and Doverie United Holding.
On Thursday, Fitch Ratings said that it has placed Eurohold Bulgaria's Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR), and the Insurer Financial Strength (IFS) ratings of three of the group's subsidiaries on rating watch negative (RWN). The RWN follows the announcement that Eurohold plans to acquire the Bulgarian assets of the Czech power utility company CEZ for 335 million euro, Fitch Ratings said.
The BGBX40, which tracks the 40 most traded shares on the stock exchange in Sofia, advanced 0.65% to 116.33 points. Holding Varna led gainers among BGBX40 members, followed by agriculture group Agria Group Holding [BUL:A72], which saw a 5.59% rise in its share price.
The BGTR30, in which companies with a free float of at least 10% have equal weight, increased 1.03% to 512.30 points, backed by a 12.63% rise in Himsnab Bulgaria [BUL:58E] shares.
Regulated market trading turnover somewhat rebounded to 551,000 levs ($321,000/282,000 euro) on Friday from a shy 157,000 levs on Thursday.
(1 euro = 1.95583 levs)