ATHEX: August closes with 4.1 pct loss for bourse

August ended with losses of 4.15 percent for the Greek stock market’s benchmark, while banks fell over 14 percent, as Friday saw another session of decline albeit with the highest turnover of the last three months, mainly thanks to the rebalancing of the MSCI index.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index ended at 729.62 points, shedding 1.36 percent from Thursday’s 739.70 points. On a weekly basis it advanced 0.66 percent. The large-cap FTSE-25 index contracted 1.22 percent to 1,920.65 points.

The banks index shrank 3.51 percent, with Alpha dropping 6.11 percent, Piraeus giving up 3.61 percent and Eurobank falling 2.52 percent.

Electricity companies ADMIE Holdings (down 3.85 percent) and Public Power Corporation (down 3.01 percent) were among the main losers, along with other utilities such as water company EYDAP (down 3.20 percent) and OTE telecom (down 1.88 percent). Grivalia Properties improved 2.53 percent.

In total 27 stocks reported gains, 60 sustained losses and 30 remained unchanged. Turnover amounted to 129.5 million euros, against Thursday’s 31.6 million.

In Nicosia the Cyprus Stock Exchange general index slipped 1.23 percent to close at 73.74 points.