ASE exceeds 1,900 points
The Athens Stock Exchange (ASE) general index slowed its strong upward drive last week but still posted total gains of 1.81 percent to close at 1,910.60 points on Friday, compared to 1,876.64 points a week earlier. Volume of trade edged up from 1.17 billion euros to 1.18 billion – an average per session of 236 million euros. Middle-capitalization stocks attracted the strongest interest, with the FTSE/ASE-40 index rising 4.14 percent. Small-caps followed with the FTSE/ASE-80 gaining 3.37 percent. The blue-chip FTSE/ASE-20 index advanced 2.05 percent. The FTSE/ASE-140, a composite of the above three, ended 2.54 percent higher. Most sectoral indices gained: Publishing and printing firms outperformed, their index rising 22.92 percent, while insurance firms followed with 18 percent. Heavyweight banks rose 5.60 percent. Among the underperformers, textiles ended 0.39 percent lower, information technology lost 1.57 percent, refineries 1.43 percent, telecommunications 1.02 percent and non-metallic minerals and cement 1.36 percent. Among the 372 individual stocks traded, 278 registered gains, 78 fell and 14 remained unchanged. The common registered stocks of holding group Ideal and Elton outperformed with gains of 45.45 percent and 38.56 percent, respectively. The previous week’s outperformer, Corinth Pipe Works, was last week’s biggest loser, shedding 17.86 percent. The most marketable share by far was that of Duty Free Shops, with 48.48 million euros per session, followed by OTE telecoms with an average of 16.45 million euros.
