ATHEX: Bank rally takes Greek index close to 850 pts

Bank stocks soared to an eight-month high after Friday’s Eurogroup meeting, accounting for some 58 percent of the day’s trading and ensuring that the benchmark headed higher on a weekly basis.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index ended at 849.26 points, adding 1.61 percent to Thursday’s 835.80 points. It advanced 0.54 percent from the previous Friday.

The large-cap FTSE-25 index expanded 1.86 percent to 2,193.04 points.

The banks index jumped 6.93 percent, with Eurobank ascending 9.29 percent, Piraeus grabbing 7.74 percent, Alpha growing 6.12 percent and National rising 5.97 percent.

PPC continued to buck the trend, shedding 1.39 percent, but Folli Follie posted the biggest loss, sliding 5.11 percent.

In total 73 stocks registered gains, 43 took losses and 29 remained unchanged.

Turnover amounted to 64.1 million euros, up from Thursday’s 43.5 million.

In Nicosia the Cyprus Stock Exchange general index increased 0.18 percent to 68.18 points.