Only five of the companies included in the calculation of the broader BG40 index of the Bulgarian Stock Exchange (BSE) ended this week with gains. Chugunoleene and Petrol added 31.3 and 23.6%, to their value on a weekly basis, respectively, while M+S Hydraulic advanced by 2.28%.

Chugunoleene's stock price went up following the release of the company's forecast for 2.23 mln profit and 55 mln leva operating revenue for 2008.

Petrol's positive stock performance may be attributed to an announcement by Lukoil Bulgaria about its intention to buy part of the filling stations and the storage base of the fuel distributor.

Odessos Shiprepair Yard and Industrial Capital Holding advanced by 0.97 and 0.47% this week to 275.05 leva and 8.48 lva per share.

The stock price of Elana Agricultural Land Opportunity Fund and Sopharma remained unchanged at 2.30 and 6.12 leva per share, respectively, while BG40's remaining 33 companies posted weekly losses.

Lead & Zinc Complex was the biggest loser this week slipping by 26.36% to an average of 42.33 leva per share. Moststroy shed 12.84% of its value to 108.18 leva per share.

Fazerles and Sparky Eltos each shed over 8% of their market value this week, while First Investment Bank lost over 6% on a weekly basis. Aroma, Holding Varna A, Monbat, CCB and Orgachim each registered losses of over 5%.

The BG40 added 0.68% to its value today closing at 342.94 points. The SOFIX blue-chip index posted а slight 0.08-percent decline to 1,203.50 points on the day. The blue-chip index lost 3.49% on a weekly basis, while the BG40 declined by 3.21%.

Photo: BGNES/EPA