National’s rise fails to prop up benchmark

Investor uncertainty and the lack of a clear picture as regards banks resulted in little action at the local bourse yesterday, on very low trading volume and ending with a slight decline for the benchmark. This followed an unimpressive session on Friday, when the benchmark had closed at the day’s low.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 685.11 points, giving up 0.12 percent from Friday’s 685.95 points. The large-cap FTSE 25 index expanded 0.07 percent to end at 205.40 points, but the mid-cap index contracted 0.30 percent.

National Bank’s 10.36 percent rise helped buoy the banks index 2.70 percent higher, despite Piraeus’s 10.71 percent slide and Alpha’s 6.25 percent decline. Eurobank advanced 4.76 percent.

Among other blue chips, construction group Ellaktor stood out for its 3.95 percent contraction while the Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company (EYDAP) shed 2.19 percent. Grivalia Properties advanced 1.74 percent and industrial conglomerate Mytilineos was 1.67 percent better off.

In total 37 stocks registered gains, 51 reported losses and 21 remained unchanged.

Turnover amounted to 24.1 million euros, down from last Friday’s 48.1 million.