BUX gains 2.1% on strong US factory orders

The Budapest Stock Exchange blue-chip BUX index closed Wednesday trade up 2.1% to 18,471 as better-than-expected US July factory-orders data boosted sentiment among BSE investors.

The BUX gained 350 points in the final three hours of trade following the publication of data showing that US factory orders rose 2.4% last month, the highest increase since March, finishing the BSE's Wednesday session 380 points higher on a composite exchange turnover of HUF 14.81 billion.

The BUX fluctuated in a 2.59% range between an intraday low of 18,005 shortly before 10:00 a.m. and a high at the index's closing mark of 18,471.

The four blue chips stood as follows at Wednesday's closing bell:

Oil and gas group MOL gained 5.3% to HUF 17,480 on a turnover of HUF 3.94 billion.

Drugmaker Richter advanced 2.3% to HUF 34,980 on a turnover of HUF 1.41 billion.

Magyar Telekom gained 1.8% to HUF 509 on a turnover of HUF 556 million.

OTP Bank lost 0.7% to HUF 4,150 on an exchange-high turnover of HUF 8.26 billion.