Most stocks fall but OPAP attracts buyers
Stocks ended slightly lower yesterday on the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE), as the selling of several blue chips was balanced by intense interest in betting agency OPAP, which accounted for nearly a third of total turnover, after it announced a deal with Intralot for the upgrade of its popular «Pame Stoichima» (Let’s Bet) game. OPAP gained 3.95 percent to close at 22.12 euros. A total of 2.63 million shares in the company, worth 58.45 million euros, changed hands. The ASE general index closed at 3,029.81 points, a loss of 8.81 points or 0.29 percent. The FTSE/ASE-20 index of blue chips declined 0.28 percent to close at 1,705.46 points, while mid- and small-caps declined 1.09 percent and 1.43 percent respectively. Several other blue chips besides OPAP ended with gains: they were Folli-Follie (up 1.36 percent to 23.90 euros), Emporiki Bank (0.95 percent to 23.38 euros), Alpha Bank (0.78 percent to 23.40 euros) and Coca-Cola HBC (0.72 percent to 22.40 euros). By contrast, Hellenic Technodomiki lost 5.14 percent to close at 4.06. EFG Eurobank and National Bank lost 2.75 percent and 0.56 percent respectively. Of the 325 traded stocks, 83 gained, 175 declined and 67 ended unchanged. Turnover reached 184.65 million euros, including 39.98 million in prearranged trades.
