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Cyprus Stock Exchange: Review Of Developments For March

Date 28/04/2006

Monthly review of developments

On the last trading session of March 2006, the General Index reached 2.461,29 points, representing a relative decrease of 1,85 %. The value of shares traded also exhibited an increase of 15,32 % compared to the previous month.

It is worth mentioning however, that the highest level the index reached for the month was 2.573,84 points. The other Market Indices reached the following levels: Main Market reached 2.507,55 , Parallel Market 1.189,75 , Alternative Market 1.148,38 , Investment Companies 1.517,50 points. On a sectoral level, sub-indices reached the following levels: Banking sector 2.754,62 , Hotels 1.224,45 , FTSE/CySE20 836,30 and finally the FTSE Med 100 reached 10.202,54 points.

The market capitalisation of shares (excluding Investment Companies Market) reached £4,27 billion. According to this month’s results, the Main Market accounted for 49,39 % of the total market capitalisation, the Parallel Market 2,20 %, the Alternative Market 6,40 %, the Investment Companies Market 2,47 % and the Bond Market 39,22 %. Moreover the total market capitalisation, including the Investment Companies Market, Warrants and the Bond Market reached £7,361 billion compared to £7,385 billion the previous month, registering a decrease of 0,32 %.

The total value of transactions during the month in review reached £100,29 million, with an average of 4,6 million per trading session. The Financials sector contributed 83,65% to the total value traded, which was the highest, whereas the Government Bonds sector had the lowest contribution with 0,01% . Investors primarily focused their interest on the shares of “ Bank Of Cyprus Public Company Ltd ” and “ Cyprus Popular Bank Public Company Ltd ” with 39,68 % and 26,02 % respectively.

Listed Companies news

On the 3rd of March 2006, the CSE Council decided to transfer the titles of “Efremico Holdings Public Ltd” to the Special Trading Category since the company had not submitted the indicative results for the year ended 31/12/2005, pursuant to Paragraph 5.2.4.5 of KPD 596/2005. The CSE Council also decided to transfer the titles of “Libra Holidays Group Public Ltd” to the Special Trading Category since the company had not submitted its annual financial statements for the year ended 31/10/2005, pursuant to Article 140(1) of N.115(I)/2005. The trading of the titles in the Special Trading Category started on Tuesday, March 7, 2006. The decision for the transfer of the above companies in the Special Trading Category was taken pursuant to Paragraph 2.2.3 of KPD 596/2005, which concerns the transfer of companies due to a delay in the issue of their financial statements. The companies Knossos Investment Public Ltd and Palinex Trading Public Ltd, which have not submitted their indicative results for the year ended December 31, 2005, will remain in the Special Trading Category.

On the 10th of March 2006, the CSE Council announced the transfer of titles of Confine Investments Public Ltd from the “Special Trading Category” to the Investment Companies Market with the distinctive marking (EM) due to its compliance with the procedure for the expansion of operations and its release from the investment restrictions. The trading of its titles in the Investment Companies Market with the distinctive marking (EM) started on Wednesday, March 15, 2006.

On the 15th of March 2006, the CSE Council in agreement with the SEC decided to delist the titles of “Andreas Coullapides Public Company Ltd” from the CSE, pursuant to Article 178 of the CSE Law, since the company is under liquidation. It is noted that the delisting carried was out on Friday, March 17, 2006.

On the 17th of March 2006, the CSE Council announced that it has accepted the listing of 52-week Treasury Bills (31/1/2006 - 30/1/2006) of total value £50,000,000, which have resulted from an auction held on January 30, 2006, pursuant to article 58(1) of the CSE Law. The above titles started trading on Wednesday, March 22, 2006.

On the 17th of March 2006, the Cyprus Stock Exchange announced that the trading of “Lanitis Bros Public Ltd” titles was to be suspended from Monday, March 20, 2006 until the completion of the procedure of the delisting of its titles from the CSE, pursuant to Article 183 of the CSE Law, following the successful Public Offer for the acquisition of 95.53% of its share capital by 3E (Cyprus) Ltd. This decision was taken following the Company's request for the best possible facilitation of the procedure of transferring the shares of those who accepted the Public Offer to 3E ( Cyprus ) Ltd. The suspension was deemed necessary in order to secure the proper completion of the procedure and the payment of the consideration to all beneficiaries, whose shares will be available for transfer.

On the 17th of March 2006, the CSE Council announced that it has accepted the listing of 3.75% Government Bonds, 1st Series 2006 - Expiry 2008 with a date of issue on 1/2/2006, of total value £50,000,000, which have resulted from an auction held on January 30, 2006, pursuant to Article 58(1) of the CSE Law. The above titles started trading on Wednesday, March 22, 2006.

On the 17th of March 2006, the CSE Council announced that it has accepted the listing of 4.25% State Nominal Bonds, 1st Series 2006 - Expiry 2011 with a date of issue on 1/2/2006, of total value £50,000,000, which have resulted from an auction held on January 30, 2006, pursuant to Article 58(1) of the CSE Law. The above titles started trading on Wednesday, March 22, 2006.

On the 20th of March 2006, following the submission of the annual financial statements of Libra Holidays Group Public Ltd for the year ended October 31, 2005, the CSE Council announced the return of its titles from the Special Trading Category to the Main Market (in which it was trading before its transfer to the Special Trading Category). The titles have been trading in the Special Trading Category since March 7, 2006, following a decision by the CSE Council due to a delay on behalf of the company to issue its financial statements. The trading of titles of Libra Holidays Group Public Ltd in the Main Market started on Tuesday, March 21, 2006.

On the 24th of March 2006, the Cyprus Stock Exchange announced the suspension of trading of titles of K+G Complex Public Company Ltd from Monday, March 27, 2006 until Friday, March 31, 2006 (inclusive) following the Company's request for a smoother completion of the transfer of shares offered by the acceptors of K+G Complex Public Company Ltd to CCC Holdings & Investments Public Company Ltd and the dispatch of payment cheques to the acceptors. The suspension of trading was deemed necessary to avoid any errors during the procedure. This decision was taken pursuant to Article 183 of the CSE Law for the protection of the investing public.

On the 27th of March 2006, the CSE Council announced that pursuant to Article 58 of the CSE Law, it had accepted the listing of 829 ordinary shares of MFS Holdings Public Company Ltd, which are fractional balances due to the share's reverse split from £0.04 to £0.40. It is noted that the above shares will be incorporated in the already listed share capital of the Company.

On the 27th of March 2006, the CSE Council announced that pursuant to Article 58 of the CSE Law, it had accepted the listing of 26,446,460 ordinary shares of Jupiter Portfolio Investments Public Company Ltd, which were issued as an exchange for the acquisition of 95.45% of the share capital of Elma Investments Ltd. The trading of the above titles started on March 29, 2006.

On the 28th of March 2006, following the submission of the indicative results for the year ended December 31, 2005 by Efremico Holdings Public Ltd, the CSE Council announced the transfer of the Company's titles from the Special Trading Category to the Alternative Market. The Company's titles have been trading in the Special Trading Category since March 7, 2006, following a CSE Council's decision due to its delay to issue the indicative results. The trading of its titles in the Alternative Market started on Wednesday, March 29, 2006.

On the 29th of March 2006, the CSE Council announced that pursuant to Article 58 of the CSE Law, it has accepted the listing of 26,446,460 ordinary shares of Jupiter Portfolio Investments Public Company Ltd, which were issued as an exchange for the acquisition of 95.45% of the share capital of Elma Investments Ltd. The trading of the above titles started on March 29, 2006.

CSE Announcement concerning FTSE/CySE 20 Index

On the 17th of March 2006, the CSE following the decision of the FTSE/CySE20 Advisory Committee announced the replacement of «Multichoice ( Cyprus ) Public Company Ltd» with «Alkis H. Hadjikyriacos (Frou-Frou Biscuits) Public Ltd» in the FTSE/CySE 20 Index. The inclusion of the titles of the new constituent in the Index started on Monday, March 20, 2006. The decision for the replacement of the above constituent in the Index was taken pursuant to Paragraph 6.4.1 and 6.1.1 of the Ground Rules for the Management of the FTSE/CySE 20 Index, which concerns the constituent removal from the index where a suspension of a constituent lasts for more than 30 calendar days and its replacement by a security ranking highest in full market capitalization from the reserve list. It is noted that «Alkis H. Hadjikyriacos (Frou-Frou Biscuits) Public Ltd», has the highest ranking in full market capitalization of the constituents companies presented in the Reserve List as was announced on Wednesday 9, November 2005 by the FTSE/CySE20 Advisory Committee.

CSE Events

The CSE in view of the implementation of the Common Trading Platform, organised educational seminars about the function of Members and other market participants in the Common Trading Platform environment via the new system of Equities Trading (OASIS) and Clearing and Settlement software (SAT). The duration of educational seminars was 2 days for OASIS on Wednesday and Thursday 15 and 16 March 2006 during the afternoon hours (15:00 - 18:00) and 2 days for the Clearing and Settlement System/Central Registry (SAT), on Wednesday and Thursday 22 and 23 March 2006, during the afternoon hours (14:30 - 17:30).

On the 27th and 30th of March 2006 the CSE also organised a mock trading session during the afternoon hours (15:00-18:00) covering the operation of the new software systems.