Colombian Stocks: Ecopetrol, Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores

The following companies had unusual price changes in Bogota trading. Stock symbols are in parentheses, and prices are as of the close of trading.

The IGBC Index (IGBC) rose 1.6 percent to 15,460.97, while the Colcap Index (COLCAP) gained 1.6 percent to 1,814.12. Local markets were closed yesterday for a holiday.

Ecopetrol SA (ECOPETL) , Colombia’s largest oil company, advanced 2.6 percent to 5,850 pesos. First-quarter profit climbed to 4.27 trillion pesos ($2.43 billion) from 3.11 trillion pesos a year earlier, the company said late April 30.

Ecopetrol aims to increase production to about 850,000 barrels a day at yearend and has overcome first-quarter pipeline slowdowns, Vice President Hector Manosalva said on a conference call today with analysts.

Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores SA (PFAVAL CB), Colombia’s biggest banking group by assets, advanced 4 percent to 1,315 pesos. First-quarter profit rose 51 percent to 394.4 billion pesos, the company reported on the financial regulator’s website April 30.

To contact the reporter on this story: Christine Jenkins in New York at cjenkins28@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: David Papadopoulos at papadopoulos@bloomberg.net