frenzy of activity which saw the Index go through the roof.

In stark contrast to recent weeks, BF&M was the only company whose stock changed in price, climbing by 25 cents to $8.50 which was enough to nudge the Index up by 1.13 points to 1,039.15 -- its tenth consecutive record high.

The total volume of shares and bonds traded, at $194,448, was a fraction of the amount which has changed hands recently.

Even the normally buoyant banks and utilities companies were quiet -- indeed, Bank of Butterfield stock has been stuck at $27 since January 12 and may have topped out after its dramatic rises of last year.

Someone bid $42 for the Bank of Bermuda -- 50 cents above its last traded price -- but found no takers.

The highest volume of the day was just 3,376 in Belco, which stayed at $22.50.