ATHEX: Bourse week ends with gains of 2 pct

Prices continued to rise over the course of the day on the Greek stock market on Friday, for the benchmark to close the three-session week with an increase that was just shy of 2 percent, even if that was on a holiday turnover level. The healthy gains were in line with the positive performance of most foreign markets.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index ended at 615.69 points, adding 1.42 percent to Thursday’s 607.05 points. On a weekly basis it advanced 1.96 percent.

The large-cap FTSE-25 index expanded 1.67 percent to 1,627.30 points and the banks index increased 0.57 percent.

OTE telecom outperformed, adding 5.37 percent, ahead of Motor Oil (up 4.66 percent), Lamda Development (4.59 percent) and Jumbo (3.93 percent). The prospect of a possible Council of State verdict banning them from state tenders for past cartel practices weighed on Ellaktor, which fell 1.67 percent, and on GEK Terna that shed 1.16 percent.

In total 64 stocks reported gains, 31 endured losses and 26 remained unchanged.

Turnover amounted to 26.7 million euros, down from Thursday’s 30.1 million.

In Nicosia the Cyprus Stock Exchange general index declined 0.62 percent to close at 65.61 points.