The Bermuda Stock Exchange Index continued to slide last week as insurance and financial instutions showed continued weakness.

The index closed down 5.39 points to 1011.79 on light volume of 65,536 shares worth $609,467. No bonds were traded.

Bank of Butterfield closed down 12.5 points to $10.875 on volume of 4,822 shares while BF&M lost 12.5 cents to close at $6.75 on volume of 26,186 and Argus Insurance fell 25 cents to close at $10.50 on volume of 5,500.

Also losing in the financial sector were Bermuda Home 8 percent preference shares, down 25 cents to $12 on volume of 2,840. Trading unchanged were the Bank of Bermuda, $18.50, 2,271 shares; Bermuda Commercial Bank, $5.125, 3,670; and Bermuda Home ordinary shares, $9.50, 559.

Trading was volatile in the computer/information sector, with BSL jumping $2.50 to $6.50 volume of just 100 shares while Bermuda Computer Services slumped $1 to $11 on volume of 1,000. Staples ten percent preference shares gained 12.5 cents to close at $9.125 on volume of 9,884.

The Island's two major utilities closed up for the week, with Belco closing up 12.5 cents to $19.875 on volume of 2,734 and Telco gaining 12.5 cents to close at $36.875 on volume of 700.

In other trading, Bermuda Bakery was unchanged at $20 on volume of 70 and Hemisphere 9.75 percent preferred shares were up 25 cents at $7.25 on volume of 5,200.

WEEKLY SUMMARY Biggest gain (%): BSL ( 62.5%) Biggest loss (%): BCS (-8.3%) Highest Volume (shares): BF&M (26,186) Lowest Volume (shares): Bda Bakery (70)