ATHEX: Stock index starts week with a drop

The early gains for the benchmark at Athinon Avenue had been reversed by the end of the week’s first session, although the overall market picture was mixed and the banks and mid-caps indexes both posted an increase. Perhaps the market is already looking forward to this Friday’s credit rating report on Greece by Standard & Poor’s, while foreign bourses remain quite bearish.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 891.30 points, shedding 0.38% from Friday’s 894.74 points. The large-cap FTSE 25 index contracted 0.70% to end at 2,163.62 points, but mid-caps expanded 0.09%.

The banks index advanced 0.68%, with Eurobank increasing 1.86%, Piraeus fetching 0.77%, Alpha edging up 0.18% and National giving up 0.35%.

Jumbo fell 2.38%, Viohalco eased 2.35% and ElvalHalcor parted with 2%, as Public Power Corporation grew 1.78%.

In total 47 stocks reported gains, 48 registered losses and 30 remained unchanged.

Turnover amounted to 65.8 million euros, up from last Friday’s €61.3 million.

In Nicosia, the general index of the Cyprus Stock Exchange decreased 0.80% to close at 65.52 points.