The Royal Gazette/Bermuda Stock Exchange Index this week soared ? as investors apparently went looking for new stocks after the sale of the Bank of Bermuda to HSBC Plc.

The Index climbed to a high of 3,3216.18 after gaining 106.549 points on the week. Volume was heavy, with 78,877 shares worth $1,284,137.45 changing hands.

The sale of the Bank of Bermuda has left many shareholders wondering where to put the $45 per share they are getting in that deal. The consequential de-listing of the Bank of Bermuda from the BSX also leaves the Bank of Butterfield as the largest component of the Index by far.Gainers out numbered declinging shares by nine to one on the week.

Butterfield saw 32,811 shares trade this week while its price jumped $1.50 to an all-time high of $46.25.

Bermuda Commercial Bank shares also climbed, in this case a dollar to $11, while 3,000 shares changed hands.

LOM (Holdings) shares were unchanged on volume of 1,400.

Kentucky Fried Chicken Bermuda Ltd. shares gained $1 to $3.50 with trading of 1,800 shares.

Long Botham Boats shares also moved up, increasing by $2.70 to $7 while 500 shares moved.

Meanwhile, BF&M Ltd. shares increased $1.50, closing at $15.50 on trading of 3,400 shares.

In the transportation sector, both Bermuda Container Lines and Stevedoring Services also saw their shares move up this week, 75 cents and $3.75 respectively. BCL saw trading of 1,131 shares while Stevedoring investors pushed through 600 shares traded as its share price soared $3.50 or 88.24 percent to close at $8.

Belco Holdings shares also gained 75 cents to close at $38.75 with trading of 135 shares; Watlington Waterworks increased a dollar, closing at $9 on trading of 1,400 shares.

KeyTech ? the parent company of BTC, Mobility and Logic Communications ? also saw a flurry of activity with 21,900 shares traded while the price increased 75 cents to $13.50.

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