ATHEX: Bourse index slips while banks grow

The majority of blue chips and stocks in general at Athinon Avenue enjoyed a small rebound on Wednesday, well below the early gains in line with other eurozone markets, though the benchmark swung from gains to losses in the closing auctions mainly due to the drop in oil company prices.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 779.20 points, a new 16-month low, shedding 0.06% from Tuesday’s 779.68 points. The large-cap FTSE-25 index expanded 0.18%, ending at 1,857.60 points.

The banks index outperformed, rising 0.86% on Eurobank rebounding 1.47%, Alpha rising 0.79%, National earning 0.48% and Piraeus edging up 0.05%.

OPAP collected 2.14%, Lamda Development advanced 1.84% and Mytilineos improved 1.48%, just as Sarantis sank 3.31%, Motor Oil slumped 3.22%, Aegean Airlines dropped 2.23% and Hellenic Petroleum gave up 1.51%.

In total 55 stocks enjoyed gains, 40 recorded losses and 18 remained unchanged. Turnover amounted to 76.1 million euros, down from Tuesday’s €80.9 million.

In Nicosia, the general index of the Cyprus Stock Exchange increased 0.90% to close at 67.44 points.