Shares of paint firm Devonshire Industries lost nearly half their value on a busy day of trading on the Bermuda Stock Exchange today.

Devonshire, which owns Bermuda Paint, fell by $2.99 (49.8 per cent) to a two-year low of $3.01 on the trading of 1,500 shares.

Overall a total of 169,954 shares worth $391,596 traded on the BSX.

The Bank of Butterfield saw 145,354 shares move, with its price rising four cents (2.3 per cent) to $1.79.

And 25 preference shares in the bank also changed hands, leaving the price unchanged at $1,137.50.

Somers Ltd was down 25 cents (1.9 per cent) at $13 after 2,000 of its shares traded.

Insurance firm Argus was down 20 cents (five per cent) at $3.80 after 3,300 shares changed hands.

Fellow insurers BF&M fell one cent (0.1 per cent) to $16.99 after 1,000 shares were exchanged.

Bermuda Press (Holdings), the parent company of The Royal Gazette, fell 35 cents (5.1 per cent) to $6.50 after 1,000 shares traded.

Dock services company Polaris Holding Co was down four cents (1.3 per cent) at $3.11 after 2,500 shares changed hands.

Utilities firm Ascendant was unchanged at $5 as 2,400 shares moved.

KeyTech fell 40 cents (13.8 per cent) to $2.50 after 9200 shares changed hands.

And Watlington Waterworks was unchanged at $20 after 500 shares sold.

The Royal Gazette/BSX Index closed up 4.92 points (0.4 per cent) at 1,224.94. The BSX Insurance Index ended the day up 4.45 points (0.28 per cent) at 1,565.59.