OPAP, OTE drive index over 4,100 points again
The benchmark Athens Exchange index climbed for the second time this week, adding 49.51 points, or 1.2 percent, to 4,137.40. The FTSE/ATHEX 20 index of the country’s biggest companies added 1.1 percent to 2,162.06 points. OTE telecom jumped 3.6 percent to 19.16 euros, the highest level in three weeks. Deutsche Telekom AG’s chief financial officer met with government ministers in Athens as DPA-AFX reported Europe’s biggest phone company was nearing a deal on a stake and management control of Greece’s largest phone company. OPAP rose 4.4 percent to 23.32 euros, its highest since February 22. Analysts at Merrill Lynch removed shares of the gaming monopoly from their «least preferred» list, saying, «Recent above-consensus results should help support the share price.» EFG Eurobank gained 36 cents, or 1.8 percent, to 20.10 euros, advancing for a second time this week. Hellenic Petroleum rose 1.6 percent to 8.80 euros. Chief Executive Officer Ioannis Costopoulos said his company plans to become a bigger player in the electricity market. Hellenic Technodomiki rose 2.9 percent, the biggest gain in more than two months. Proton Bank expects Hellenic Tech to enjoy «hefty growth rates over the next couple of years,» mainly due to construction. Turnover topped 290.8 million euros. (Bloomberg)
