Stocks rise on blue chip gains
Greek stocks advanced 1.67 percent yesterday on selective blue chip buying as news that Greece’s 10-year-bond auction had enjoyed strong demand helped cheer investors. The Athens bourse’s benchmark general index ended at 2,048.16 points, outperforming weak showings by its major European peers. The blue chip FTSE/ATHEX 20 index advanced 1.58 percent to 1,017.92 points, beating gains of 0.62 percent in the banking sector. OTE telecom jumped 3.33 percent to 9.31 euros while betting company OPAP rose 4.32 percent to 15.70 euros. Power company PPC performed strongly, rising 4.58 percent to 12.55 euros as oil refinery Motor Oil climbed 4.21 percent to 9.90 euros. Turnover reached 201.4 million euros versus 190.6 million in the previous session.