May 16 (SeeNews) - The Bulgarian Stock Exchange's blue-chip SOFIX index closed 0.49% higher at 569.12 points on Thursday, extending its advance from the previous day on the back of a rise in the share prices of drug maker Sopharma [BUL:3JR] and software group Sirma Group Holding [BUL:SKK].
Sopharma led the blue-chip gainers on Thursday, closing 2.13% higher at 3.36 levs, while Sirma Group's shares advanced 2.07% to 0.74 levs.
On Wednesday, the SOFIX closed 0.52% higher, backed by a rebound in the share price of Sirma and diversified group Chimimport [BUL:6C4].
Thursday's top gainers among the members of the BGTR30 index, in which companies with a free float of at least 10% have equal weight, were Aktiv Properties REIT [BUL:5AX] and Sopharma. The BGTR30 closed 0.26% higher at 498.71 points.
Aktiv Properties was also the top gainer among the members of the wider BGBX40 index, which tracks the 40 most traded shares on the stock exchange in Sofia. The BGBX40 index added 0.31% to 113.67, as Aktiv Properties' shares rose 10.45% to 7.40 levs.
The BGREIT index, which tracks real estate investment trusts, rose to 0.48% to 120.79 points, mainly due to the rise of Aktiv Properties' shares.
Total trading turnover on the regulated market plunged to 111,746 levs ($63,850/57,134 euro) on Thursday from 544,000 levs on Wednesday.
The bulk of Thursday's trading turnover - 87,461 levs, was formed by eight transactions involving 74,120 shares of financial leasing company Elana Agrocredit [BUL:0EA].
(1 euro = 1.95583 levs)