National Stock Exchange Of Lithuania: Another Active Month At The Exchange

While the beginning of April was marked with a further rise of stock prices and new records in index values, increasing supply of shares and price correction were observed in the second half of the month. However, trading in shares remained active: share turnover of the month under review reached LTL 208.2 million (Eur 60.30 m). It is a record monthly share turnover of the year and one of the top monthly values during the past several years. Tender offer for Vakaru Skirstomieji Tinklai AB shares accounted for 66% of the share turnover in April.

Trading on the central market, where shares of Apranga, Vilniaus Vingis, Lietuvos Telekomas, Mazeikiu Nafta, and Zemaitijos Pienas were most popular, though did not reach the volumes of the previous months remained substantial at LTL 46.8 million (Eur 13.55 m). Trading in shares notably surpassed turnover of debt securities, which came to mere LTL 81.5 million (Eur 23.60 m) or 28% of the total monthly turnover.

Year to date turnover of shares totalled LTL 630 million (Eur 182.46 m) and exceeded the total share turnover of last year by 6 per cent (share turnover of 2003 was LTL 594.11 million (Eur 172.07 m)). As of April 30, the total turnover of this year amounts to LTL 1,237 million (Eur 358.26 m) and accounts for 63% of the total turnover in 2003, which equalled LTL 1,980 million (Eur 573.45 m).

The Annual General Meeting of the NSEL shareholders held on 29 April approved the Annual Report of 2003, profit appropriation and the new wording of the company’s Articles of Association. The AGM decided to pay out LTL 595 (Eur 172.32 m) per share in dividend.