Across-the-board gains lead to five-year high
Stocks gained yesterday on the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE), helped by the positive mood in other European markets, to close at a five-year high. The ASE general index closed at 3,538.44 points, a gain of 25.62 points or 0.73 percent. The FTSE/ASE-20 index of blue chips gained 0.74 percent to close at 1,961.90 points, while mid-caps and small-caps gained 0.75 percent and 0.79 percent respectively. Among blue chips, significant gains were posted by Emporiki Bank (up 1.68 percent to 24.18 euros), telecommunications equipment manufacturer Intracom (1.63 percent to 4.98 euros), telecommunications company OTE (1.48 percent to 17.82 euros), betting company OPAP (1.44 percent to 28.10 euros), National Bank (1.11 percent to 34.68 euros) and Piraeus Bank (1.03 percent to 17.62 euros). Of 331 traded stocks, 153 gained, 128 declined and 50 ended unchanged. Turnover reached 202.43 million euros, including 59.5 million in prearranged trades. The most heavily traded stocks, by number of shares exchanged, were OTE, Maritime of Lesvos (which also gained 20 percent), Logic-Dis, National Bank and Corinth Pipeworks. In terms of total turnover, National Bank (37.63 million) edged out OTE (36.04 million). The ASE’s total capitalization stands at 122.64 billion euros.
