Investors with eye on blue chip figures
Investors will be looking to see whether Greek stocks can add to last week’s gains of more than 5 percent with earnings figures from two of the market’s largest blue chips also likely to play a role in determining the market’s direction. The Athens Exchange’s benchmark general index on Friday ended at 1,557.77 points. It added 5.66 percent for the week, its second best weekly performance of the year. Betting company OPAP is expected to report 2008 earnings after the close of trade today, with National Bank also set to unveil its figures tomorrow. National, the country’s largest lender, is expected to post a 5.9 percent drop in 2008 net profits on slowing credit expansion in Greece and Southeastern Europe and higher loan-loss provisions, according to analysts. Frigoglass, the world’s largest maker of drinks refrigeration equipment, is also scheduled to report figures on Thursday.
