Stocks end flat as interest wears thin
Stocks ended flat yesterday, marked by thin trading as investors took off for their summer holidays and with buying interest held back by the absence of major market-moving news. The benchmark share index edged up 0.14 percent to 2,135.20 points, underperforming European bourses. «There’s nothing positive on the corporate front to propel the market forward after recent half-year banking results,» said analyst Anthony Kouleimanis at Devletoglou Securities. Turnover eased to 118.53 million euros, with 28.2 million shares changing hands. Bourse heavyweight OTE Telecom rose 0.37 percent to 10.94 euros, boosting telecoms 0.42 percent to 863.96 points. Banking shares managed to hold on to gains, rising 0.15 percent, with bellwether National Bank notching up 0.34 percent to 17.68 euros and Alpha adding 0.56 percent to 17.92 euros. Mid-caps and small-caps retreated 0.37 percent and 1.70 percent respectively. Losers led winners 259 to 70, with 36 unchanged on 365 traded. (Reuters)
