BUX loses 1.2% on US consumer data

The Budapest Stock Exchange BUX index closed Tuesday trade down 1.2% to 18,091 as surprisingly gloomy US consumer-confidence data dropped the BSE blue-chip index to its first loss since last Thursday.

The BUX dropped 300 points following Conference Board's publication at 4:00 p.m., Central European Time, of data showing that in August US consumer confidence had dropped to its lowest level since April 2009, finishing the BSE's Tuesday session 224.62 points lower on a composite exchange turnover of HUF 12.21 billion.

The BUX fluctuated in a 2.5% range between an intraday high of 18,561 shortly after morning bell and a low at the index's closing mark of 18,091.

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

OTP Bank lost 2.8% to HUF 4,180 on an exchange-high turnover of HUF 8.04 billion.

Magyar Telekom declined 1.4% to HUF 500 on a turnover of HUF 767 million.

Drugmaker Richter lost 1.2% to HUF 34,200 on a turnover of HUF 445 million.

Oil and gas group MOL gained 0.2% to HUF 16,605 on a turnover of HUF 2.6 billion.