Blue chips down but index nudges higher
The benchmark Athens Exchange (ATHEX) index yesterday rose 0.1 percent, to 4,350.03 points, gaining for a second day and bringing its weekly advance to 0.7 percent. The FTSE/ATHEX 20 index of the country’s biggest companies lost 0.2 percent to 2,269.11. The mid-cap index was also down, 0.6 percent, but small-caps held their own, nudging 0.1 percent higher. The following were among the most active stocks: Hellenic Exchanges sank 86 cents, or 4.5 percent, to -18.24, the seventh straight decline. Euroxx Securities lowered its share-price estimate for the operator of the Athens bourse 2.8 percent to -20.50. Piraeus Port Authority fell 12 cents, or 0.5 percent, to -23.18, paring yesterday’s 1.4 percent gain, after daily Imerisia reported that Greece’s biggest port may extend by a month the deadline for bids by investors to take over container operations. Eurobank advanced 2.1 percent, Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company added 2 percent, Titan Cement rose 1.9 percent and Motor Oil gained 1.5 percent. By contrast, Bank of Cyprus slumped 3.8 percent, OTE telecom dropped 2.3 percent, Marfin Investment Group ended 1.8 percent lower and Viohalco slid 1.6 percent. Turnover totaled -281.9 million. The Cypriot General Index dropped 1.9 percent to 3,813.88. (Bloomberg, Kathimerini)
