National Bank resists southbound course
Greeks stocks turned southbound again yesterday, led by Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Co, the world’s second-biggest bottler of Coke drinks. The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index dropped 0.4 percent, to 4,906.46 points. The FTSE/ ATHEX 20 index of the country’s largest companies slipped 0.11 percent to 2,599.19. The respective mid-cap and small-cap indices shed 0.22 percent and 0.22 percent, respectively. Coca-Cola HBC fell 2.6 percent, to -26.30. Among other blue chips, bellwether National Bank rose 1.89 percent to -43.10, Mytilineos added 1.77 percent and Bank of Cyprus was 1.72 percent higher. By contrast, Viohalco sank 4.69 percent to -8.94 and Postal Savings Bank (TT) lost 2.8 percent, to -12.60, after announcing a 20 percent decline in nine-month profits to -73.8 million. Public Power Corporation (PPC), the country’s biggest power company, lost 1.6 percent, to -30. Geniki Bank fell 3.1 percent, to -5.04. Intralot was down 2.67 percent, and Hellenic Technodomiki slumped 2.76 percent. S&B Industrial Minerals added 1.7 percent, to -12. The mine operator secured a preliminary agreement to provide 1.1 million tonnes of bauxite a year to Saudi Arabia. Turnover totaled -428.9 million. (Kathimerini, Bloomberg)
