Unchanged market

Most liquid shares traded on Bulgaria_s bourse this year were in Neftochim oil refinery, tobacco monopoly Bulgartabac Holding , Solvay-Sodi soda ash producer, experts said on Thursday. Share prices in these companies, which also include Black Sea resort Albena remained unchanged from a year ago. The Bulgarian stock exchange was largely illiquid throughout the year, mainly due to the Kosovo crisis, which turned investors away from the region. Some 30 issues traded during the year out of 860 listed. Only block deals and single trades with big packages activate and boost sporadicly bourse turnover. Bulgaria is one of the countries invited earlier this month at a summit in Helsinki to start talks on full EU membership next year. Bulgaria_s economy is still struggling with reform and lack of investment, which leads to poor performance of most local companies.