Index close to 2,200 pts
The Athens Stock Exchange benchmark general index ended last week at 2,190.81 points, a rise of 43.67 points or 2.30 percent from the previous week’s close. Three of the week’s four sessions ended with losses; there was no session on Friday, a holiday. Reflecting the holiday mood, total turnover was almost halved, to 517.75 million euros, with an average of 129.44 million euros per session. Investor interest focused on blue chips. Thus, the FTSE/ASE-20 index rose 2.02 percent to close at 1,096.12 points. The FTSE/ASE Mid-40 index rose 1.48 percent and the FTSE/ASE Small-Cap 80 gained 1.22 percent. The FTSE/ASE-140, a composite of the previous three, gained 1.84 percent, to close at 2,586.51 points. Most sectoral indices ended with gains. Top gainers were insurance (5.23 percent), retail commerce (3.07 percent) and holding companies (2.52 percent). The greatest losses were registered in textiles (3.43 percent) and publishing and printing (2.43 percent). Out of 373 stocks traded during the week, 168 ended with gains, 188 dropped and 17 remained unchanged. Gainers were led by European Reliance (18.42 percent), Plias (14.74 percent) and Intersat (14.29 percent). The biggest losers were the preferred shares of paper company VIS (22.08 percent) and trade company Emborikos Desmos (11 percent) and the common shares of Xylemboria (10.29 percent). OTE Telecom was the most heavily traded stock, with an average daily turnover of 7.18 million euros, followed by Piraeus Port Authority (5.95 million) and Alpha Bank (5.89 million).
