Helm Bank and Canacol Energy Were Active

The following companies had unusual price changes in Bogotá trading. 

Stock symbols are in parentheses, and prices are as of 3 p.m. local time.

The IGBC Index (IGBC) fell 0.3 percent to 14,900.33 while the Colcap Index (COLCAP) rose 0.1 percent to 1,744.02.

Helm Bank SA (PFBHELM) (PFBHELMB CB), a Colombian lender, soared 16 percent to 460 pesos, its biggest gain since the stock started trading in December 2.007.

An announcement on the sale of the Bogotá based bank will be made this week, El Tiempo newspaper reported today, citing people it didn’t identify. 

In a February interview, Ferro said controlling stakeholders have no intention of selling.

Canacol Energy Ltd. (CNE) , the Calgary-based oil company that operates fields in Colombia, climbed 6 percent to 1,415 pesos.

Exxon Mobile Corp. agreed to spend as much as $50 million to explore for shale oil in Colombia with Canacol, according to an April 4 statement. 

The accord would give Exxon half of Canacol’s 40 percent stake in a contract allowing it to explore and produce fuel in the VMM 2 block in Colombia, according to the statement.