ATHEX: Bourse rises at start of week

After another impasse at Monday’s Euro Working Group, the Athens bourse shook off the pressure on bank stocks on Tuesday, with the majority of stocks and the benchmark heading higher on a day of healthy turnover.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index ended at 712.25 points, adding 0.57 percent to Friday’s 708.24 points. The large-cap FTSE-25 index also expanded 0.57 percent, to 1,859.92 points.

The banks index contracted 0.29 percent. Alpha lost 2.41 percent, Piraeus slipped 0.33 percent, Eurobank grew 2.50 percent and National edged 0.26 percent higher.

As usual Grivalia Properties heeded the course of parent company Eurobank, rising 2.96 percent. It was overshadowed only by Hellenic Petroleum (up 3.41 percent), which is well on its way toward privatization. Ellaktor climbed 2.70 percent.

In total 54 stocks showed gains, 44 had losses and 30 remained unchanged.

Turnover amounted to 55.9 million euros, up from last Friday’s 47 million.

In Nicosia the Cyprus Stock Exchange general index advanced 0.37 percent to 65.05 points.