ATHEX: Banks push local stock market up

Athinon Avenue had a relatively balanced session on Monday, with mid-caps declining and rising stocks outnumbering dropping ones by the narrowest of margins, but banks showed some healthy gains that boosted the benchmark and the blue-chip index to see the bourse start the week on a positive footing. Daily turnover managed to remain above the 100-million-euro mark.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 1,458.52 points, adding 0.43% to Friday’s 1,452.28 points. The large-cap FTSE-25 index expanded 0.61%, ending at 3,556.95 points, though mid-caps contracted 0.37%.

The banks index improved 1.41%, as Eurobank earned 2.10%, National fetched 1.30%, Piraeus collected 1.29% and Alpha grew 1.19%. Motor Oil advanced 2.48%, Titan Cement rose 2.10%, Jumbo brought 1.26%, while Public Power Corporation parted with 1.11%.

In total 48 stocks secured gains, 47 endured losses and 29 remained unchanged.

Turnover amounted to €102.1 million, down from last Friday’s €103.3 million.

In Nicosia, the general index of the Cyprus Stock Exchange increased 0.14% to close at 164.25 points.