ATHEX: Bourse shuts for Christmas on a low note

Greek stocks presented a mixed picture on Friday as Athinon Avenue closed for Christmas, with the benchmark ending lower for the sixth session in a row while the banks and mid-caps indexes posted gains for the first time in more than a week.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index ended at 608.58 points, shedding 0.80 percent from Thursday’s 613.50 points. On a weekly basis it declined 5.68 percent.

The large-cap FTSE-25 index contracted 0.90 percent to 1,595.95 points, but the mid-cap index expanded 0.83 percent.

The banks index rebounded 1.19 percent, as Piraeus jumped 5.94 percent, Alpha climbed 3.33 percent and National augmented 1.84 percent, while Eurobank gave up 3.88 percent. Other losers included Jumbo (down 4.03 percent), Motor Oil (3.33 percent) and Grivalia Properties (2.94 percent).

In total 39 stocks notched up gains, 43 took losses and 26 closed unchanged.

Turnover amounted to 57.7 million euros, up from Thursday’s 52 million.

The bourse will reopen for business on Thursday, December 27.

In Nicosia the Cyprus Stock Exchange general index advanced 0.57 percent to close at 66.55 points.