ATHEX: Bank stocks help index reach weekly gains of 1.85 percent
The stocks of banks National and Piraeus helped the Greek bourse end the week on a high on Friday, albeit on very thin trading, but the benchmark again proved unable to clear the psychologically important 650-point mark in what was its fifth attempt.
The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 648.63 points, adding 1.48 percent to Thursday’s 639.19 points. On a weekly basis it grew 1.85 percent. The large-cap FTSE 25 index expanded 1.69 percent to end at 179.04 points.
The banks index climbed 3.70 percent as National gained 6.25 percent and Piraeus Bank rose 5 percent. They were followed by Viohalco (up 4.14 percent), Ellaktor (4.11 percent) and Hellenic Petroleum (2.74 percent). Only four blue chips suffered a drop, led by OPAP (down 0.69 percent).
In total 69 stocks posted gains, 29 took losses and 25 stayed unchanged.
Turnover amounted to 48 million euros, down from Thursday’s 60 million.
In Nicosia the general index of the Cyprus Stock Exchange declined 0.17 percent to close at 69.32 points.
