The SOFIX blue-chip index of the Bulgarian Stock Exchange (BSE) closed at its highest level since the start of the year. The index advanced by nearly 3%, to close today's session at 471.12 points. The index was close to that level on November 6.

The other three indexes also posted gains - BG40 (+2.04%, to 128.90 points), BG REIT (+1.36%, to 45.38 points) and BG TR30 (+2.20%, to 348.78 points).

Optimism caught up with banking stocks on the day. Central Cooperative Bank's stock appreciated by 4.15%, to 1.61 leva per share, while First Investment Bank gained nearly 3% to 3.17 leva per share.

Corporate Commercial Bank (+5.76%, to 55.00 leva) and Bulgarian-American Credit Bank (+8.98%, to 17.00 leva) also posted considerable advances. A total of 4,514 shares in Bulgarian-American Credit Bank traded hands on the day.

The stocks of production companies were also in high demand. Lead & Zinc Complex gained 0.97% to 15.05 leva per share.

Sopharma's stock price went up by 1.29%, to 3.84 leva per share, while Neochim gained 5.48%, to 38.50 leva per share. M+S Hydraulic's stock price jumped by more than 13% to 5.22 leva per share.

Monbat's stock appreciated by 2.66%, to 7.30 leva per share after the company revised its forecast for 2009 up.

The company forecasts 103.5 mln leva consilodated sales revenue and 18.1 mln leva profit for 2009.

Stara Planina Hold's stock price went up by 3.83% to 1.90 leva per share even though the shares of the company do not pay dividend anymore.

Holding Roads ended the day down. The stock of the company depreciated by 0.45%, to 3.76 leva per share. Euroins skidded 0.81% lower to 1.71 leva.

BSE's overall turnover came to 2.15 mln leva. A total of 81 issues were traded on the day with 55 of the stocks posting price gains. The value of the over-the-counter deals stood at 273,000 leva as at 2:20 p.m.