Trading volume down by a third
The Athens Stock Exchange’s general index showed signs of stabilizing around the 2,700-point mark, ending the week at 2,694.02 points, 0.71 percent higher than the previous week’s close. Total trading volume was 845 million euros – a daily average of 169 million against 258.5 million the previous week. All three FTSE indices showed gains. The biggest were recorded by the FTSE/ASE-40 index of mid-caps (1.98 percent), while the FTSE/ASE-80 index of small-caps gained 1.95 percent and blue chips on the FTSE/ASE-20 index 0.97 percent. Most sectoral indices ended with gains. Wholesale trade and construction were the most favored, rising 4.27 and 4.18 percent, respectively. Four sectors recorded losses, led by telecommunications (2.14 percent) and retail trade (0.96 percent). Of the 367 stocks traded, 248 ended with gains, 107 registered losses and 12 remained unchanged. The biggest gainer was Intracom Construction (CR) with 68.48 percent, followed by Emborikos Desmos (PR) with 27.50 percent and Metalloplastiki Agriniou (CB) with 25.71 percent. The losers were led by KRE.KA (CB) down by 14.78 percent, Axon Holdings (CR), 12.80 percent, and Spider (CR), with losses of 10.49 percent. Intracom Construction was the most heavily traded stock for the week, with a total value of 20.62 million euros. OTE Telecom was second with 10.57 million. Statistics provided by Constantinos Valmantonis, president of the Association of Judges and Prosecutors, speak for themselves: Indictable offenses come to trial after five to seven years, and felonies (such as robberies, murders and rapes) after eight-12 years, when there is a serious risk that serious cases will be dismissed.
