Buying spree pushes index over 3,600 points
Stocks gained significantly yesterday on the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE), leaping over 3,600 points to close at a fresh five-year high. The session was marked by investor interest for stocks across the board. The ASE general index closed at 3,603.79 points, a gain of 47.88 points or 1.35 percent. The FTSE/ASE-20 index of blue chips gained 1.28 percent to close at 1,997.89 points, while mid-caps and small-caps gained 1.43 percent and 1.15 percent respectively. All blue chips gained, with the exception of cement producer Titan, which declined 0.18 percent to close at 33.44 euros. Among the rest, significant gains were posted by telecommunications equipment manufacturer Intracom (up 6.85 percent to 5.30 euros), Emporiki Bank (3.52 percent to 25.30 euros), betting company OPAP (3.20 percent to 29 euros), electronics retailer Germanos (3.08 percent to 14.04 euros), refiner Hellenic Petroleum (2.19 percent to 12.14 euros), construction group Hellenic Technodomiki (1.83 percent to 4.46 euros) and refiner Motor Oil (1.70 percent to 20.30 euros). Of the 329 traded shares, 193 gained, 84 declined and 52 ended unchanged. Turnover reached 273.23 million euros, including 56.34 million in prearranged trades.
