Small-caps preferred in relatively quiet day
Stocks gained yesterday on the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE), with investors focusing on small-capitalization listings. The ASE compound share index closed at 4,126.39 points, a gain of 10.36 points or 0.25 percent. The FTSE/ASE 20 index of blue chips gained 0.12 percent to close at 2,267.69 points, while mid-caps and small-caps gained 0.41 percent and 0.97 percent respectively. The FTSE/Athex International gained 0.17 percent, closing at 5,916.15 points. Among blue chips, the biggest gainers were technology holding company Intracom (up 3.03 percent to 5.44 euros), betting company OPAP (1.57 percent to 28.44 euros), Piraeus Bank (1.29 percent to 22 euros) and metals group Viohalco (1.10 percent to 9.20 euros). Hardest hit were refiner Motor Oil (down 1.46 percent to 20.20 euros), Emporiki Bank (1.09 percent to 23.54 euros) and ATEbank (0.96 percent to 4.14 euros). Of 315 traded stocks, 167 gained, 89 declined and 59 ended unchanged. Turnover reached 279.75 million euros, including 41.76 million in prearranged trades. The most heavily traded stocks, in terms of the number of shares, were S&B Minerals (1,425,058 shares), telecoms company OTE (1,420,197), construction firm AEGEK (1,195,157) and Piraeus Bank (1,180,782).
