Major sell-offs could be witnessed on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange (BSE) this morning after the first 30 minutes of trading.

The negative sentiment was sparked by the bad news coming from across the Atlantic. Yesterday's bankruptcy filing by Lehman Brothers and the acquisition of Merrill Lynch by the Bank of America sent the stock prices on Wall Street sharply lower and the Dow Jones lost more than 500 points, which was its biggest slide since the terrorist attacks in September 2001.

The Bulgarian blue-chips are posting considerable losses so far. Sopharma's stock has appreciated by over 7%, to 3.40 leva per share, while Central Cooperative Bank is nearly 5% down, to 3 leva per share, the lowest since 2005.

Lead & Zinc Complex's stock has lost nearly 9% so far and is traded at 23 leva per share, while Sparky Eltos is 4% down to 6.81 leva per share.

The broader BG40 index was dragged 7.27% lower to 210.77 points, mainly by Odessos Shiprepair Yard, whose share price is 15% down to 190 leva apiece.

Orgachim's stock has lost nearly 7% of its value and is traded at a price of 150 leva per share.

Chimimport is among the stocks that have not been affected so badly. The stock price of the company is less than 3% down to 6.6 leva per share.

Fazerless is 15% down to 90 leva per share, while Trace Group Hold's stock prices has dropped by 12.5% to a record low 78.5 leva per share.

Eurohold Stock is more than 5% down so far to 3.79 leva per share, but deals were also sealed at prices of around 3.50 leva per share.

BSE's trading turnover amounts to less than 1 mln leva so far today, while the SOFIX is losing 2.32%, to 909.38 points.

*Updated at 10.30 o'clock