ASE index rises slightly in quiet trading day
Stocks gained slightly yesterday on the Athens Stock Exchange as investors focused their interest on a few blue chips. The ASE general index closed at 3,415.98 points, a gain of 5.08 points or 0.15 percent. During the session, it reached a high of 3,426.26 points. The FTSE/ASE-20 index of blue chips gained 0.32 percent to close at 1,899.84, while mid- and small-caps declined 0.21 percent and 0.05 percent, respectively. Among blue chips, significant gains were made by cement producer Titan (up 1.98 percent to 29.90 euros), Alpha Bank (1.47 percent to 24.88 euros), EFG Eurobank (0.99 percent to 26.44 euros), electronics retailer Germanos (0.92 percent to 13.22 euros) and telecoms firm OTE (0.78 percent to 18.16 euros). By contrast, losses were sustained by metals group Viohalco (down 3.11 percent to 5.60 euros), refiner Motor Oil (2.56 percent to 17.50 euros) and betting company OPAP (1.06 percent to 24.38 euros). Of 332 traded stocks, 92 gained, 180 declined and 60 ended unchanged. Turnover reached 170.42 million euros, including 3.7 million in prearranged trades. The most heavily traded stocks, in value of shares traded, were OTE (21.58 million euros), OPAP (15.06 million), Alpha Bank (13.48 million), Public Power Corporation (10.89 million).
