Market stays steady in a day of brisk trading
Stocks moved little yesterday on the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE), apparently not affected by a slight decline on other European markets. The ASE composite share index closed at 4,615.48 points, a gain of 2.89 points or 0.06 percent. The FTSE/ASE 20 index of blue chips gained 0.01 percent to close at 2,513.38 points, while mid-caps and small-caps declined 0.14 percent and 0.28 percent respectively. The FTSE/Athex International gained 0.01 percent, closing at 6,605.92 points. Nine of 17 sectoral indices gained. The top gainers were travel and leisure (higher 1.12 percent), chemicals (0.76 percent), raw materials (0.40 percent) and food and beverages (0.40 percent). The top losers were insurance (down 1.94 percent), financial services (0.99 percent) and health (0.66 percent). Among blue chips, the top gainers were ATEbank (up 2.35 percent to 4.36), betting company OPAP (1.36 percent to 29.90), Bank of Cyprus (1.22 percent to an all-time high of 11.60) and mobile telecoms company Cosmote (1.02 percent to 23.86, also an all-time high). Postal Savings Bank also reached an all-time high, at 19.28. The top losers were Alpha Bank (less 1.99 percent to 24.60) and Piraeus Bank (1.84 percent to 25.56). Turnover reached 415.87 million, including 36.57 million in prearranged trades.
