ATHEX: Index posts slight rise as trade picks up

Wednesday’s mixed session at Athinon Avenue left stocks split between winners and losers, with banks heading lower but the benchmark covering some of the ground it had lost on Tuesday. The market is awaiting the European Central Bank decisions on Thursday, especially regarding its medium-term monetary strategy.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 893.82 points, adding 0.23% to Tuesday’s 891.81 points. The large-cap FTSE-25 index expanded 0.22%, ending at 2,162.51 points, but mid-caps contracted 0.73%.

The banks index declined 0.84%, as Eurobank conceded 1.61%, National dropped 1.44% and Piraeus gave up 0.68%, while Alpha improved 0.67%. GEK Terna grew 3.32% and EYDAP collected 2.21%, as Viohalco parted with 2.84%.

In total 48 stocks secured gains, 45 suffered losses, and 23 remained unchanged. Turnover amounted to 62 million euros, up from Tuesday’s €55.7 million.

On Wednesday the Public Debt Management Agency auctioned one-year treasury bills, raising €1.3 billion at a yield of 0.83%.

In Nicosia, the general index of the Cyprus Stock Exchange increased 0.62% to close at 71.90 points.