ATHEX: Index ends day virtually unchanged

Stocks at Athinon Avenue rallied toward the end of the session on Wednesday for a third day in a row, offseting most of their losses. A slight majority of stocks ended up lower and banks continued to slide, while the benchmark closed virtually unchanged and mid-caps recorded small gains.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 622.76 points, shedding less than 0.01 percent from Tuesday’s 622.78 points. The large-cap FTSE-25 index contracted 0.09 percent to 1,658.28 points, while mid-caps expanded 0.52 percent.

The banks index slumped 2.09 percent, as Alpha decreased 4.19 percent and Piraeus gave up 2.22 percent. National and Eurobank closed without a change.

Aegean Air rose 1.94 percent, Viohalco improved 1.53 percent and Coca-Cola HBC grabbed 1.41 percent, just as Sarantis fell 3.03 percent and ADMIE Holdings shrank 2 percent.

In total 33 stocks recorded gains, 38 suffered losses and 39 remained unchanged.

Turnover amounted to 42.8 million euros, down from Tuesday’s 50.6 million.

In Nicosia the Cyprus Stock Exchange general index advanced 0.09 percent to close at 64.61 points.