ATHEX: Blue chips keep bourse afloat

The non-bank blue chips kept the Athens Exchange (ATHEX) benchmark afloat on Thursday, in spite of the significant decline seen the previous day in the US market and pressure on bank stocks. Turnover improved slightly and stocks were split down the middle between winners and losers.

The ATHEX general index ended at 607.05 points, adding 0.28 percent to Wednesday’s 605.34 points. The large-cap FTSE-25 index expanded 0.31 percent to 1,600.54 points, while the small-cap index contracted 0.49 percent.

The banks’ index declined 0.82 percent, as Piraeus slumped 5.06 percent, National dropped 1.87 percent, Alpha slipped 0.27 percent and Eurobank stayed put. OTE telecom jumped 4.47 percent, Titan Cement improved 3.02 percent, Viohalco earned 2.42 percent and OPAP grabbed 2.22 percent.

In total 40 stocks showed gains, another 40 suffered losses and 33 closed unchanged.

Turnover amounted to 30.1 million euros, the highest of the last five sessions, up from Wednesday’s 18.3 million.

In Nicosia the Cyprus Stock Exchange general index declined 0.36 percent to close at 66.02 points.