Index slides to a record low
Stocks tumbled for another day yesterday as foreign portfolios rapidly sold their Greek stakes, particularly in banks. The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 3,190.41 points, 2.93 percent lower than on Tuesday. The day had started with a 1 percent correction from Tuesday’s 4.4 percent decline, but sellers soon took over again, taking the index to the year’s lowest point to date. The blue chip FTSE/ATHEX 20 index declined by 2.86 percent to 1,706.41 points. Worst off among blue chips were the stocks of EFG Eurobank (down 4.90 percent), Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (4.59 percent), Alpha Bank (4.44 percent) and Piraeus Bank (4.39 percent). Bank of Cyprus was the only blue chip to defy the downward trend (up 3.47 percent). Turnover reached 390 million euros.