The Athens bourse got off to a good start to the new year, in step with rising European markets, though trading remained light due to the holiday season.

The Athens Exchange’s benchmark general index gained 1.42 percent, ending at 1,811.83 points.

Gaming company OPAP jumped more than 3 percent to 21.32 euros.

Shares in utility Public Power Corporation (PPC) added 2.95 percent to 11.88 euros. Earlier this week, the Development Ministry said it would call for a one-year delay to planned electricity tariff hikes. Brokers described the news as negative, saying they will revise downward PPC’s 2009 estimates.

The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares rose 2.88 percent, while Germany’s DAX advanced 3.39 percent. France’s CAC-40 gained 4.09 percent.

Turnover in Athens reached 46.9 million euros.