Blue chips pull index
The Athens Stock Exchange (ASE) general index maintained its upward momentum last week, but only just, gaining 0.09 percent, or 1.95 points to close Friday at 2,210.68 points. Weekly turnover, including block trades, rose to 923.15 million euros, an average of 184.63 million euros per session, from 726.16 million euros the previous week. Two of the four Financial Times indices ended higher: The FTSE/ASE-20 index of blue chips rose 0.45 percent to close at 1,128.17 points, while the FTSE/ASE Mid-40 fell 0.06 percent and the FTSE/ASE Small Cap 80 dropped 1.44 percent. The FTSE/ASE-140, a composite of the above three, rose 0. 12 percent to close at 2,586.87 points. Most sectoral indices – 13 out of 18 – ended with losses. The biggest gains were made by retail trade (2.69 percent), followed by banks (1.90 percent) and investment firms (1.05 percent). Losers were led by wholesale commerce (2.15 percent), followed by textiles (1.80 percent) and non-metallic minerals and cement (1.58 percent). Of the 368 shares traded, 108 gained, 227 declined and 33 remained unchanged. Retailer Electroniki Athinon led all gainers (15.72 percent), followed by Varveris-Moda Bagno (11.74 percent) and Alisida’s preferred shares (11.67 percent). Losers were led by Elfiko (22.30 percent), F.G. Europe’s preferred shares (22.27 percent) and Grigoris (16.99 percent). The week’s most marketable securities were Lamda Development, with an average daily turnover of 17.14 million euros, Vodafone-Panafon (14.66 million) and Nikas (13.28 million).
