Benchmark hangs on and keeps afloat

The Greek stock market ran out of steam over the course of yesterday’s trading session, as the negative swing of most eurozone markets contained the early gains recorded at Athinon Avenue. Still, banks and a few select blue chips held firm in the end to keep the benchmark afloat. This took place amid the constant slide of Greek bond yields and treasury bill interest rates yesterday.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index ended at 641.43 points, adding 0.40% to Tuesday’s 638.90 points. The large-cap FTSE 25 index expanded 0.47% to 1,549.362 points.

The banks index enjoyed a 1.66% rise, with Alpha growing 3.17%, National advancing 2.48% and Eurobank climbing 2.18%, while Piraeus declined 3.76%.

Motor Oil improved 3.81% and Aegean Air earned 1.88% on the day tourism reopened its doors in Greece. Fourlis Holdings gave up 5.65%,

In total 48 stocks recorded gains, 44 took losses and 15 remained unchanged. Turnover amounted to 45 million euros, up from Tuesday’s €40 million.

In Nicosia, the general index of the Cyprus Stock Exchange contracted 0.28% to close at 49.19 points.