ATHEX: Lamda and Coca-Cola boost bourse

Non-bank blue chips led Greek stocks in a moderate advanceon Wednesday, while banks swung both ways before settling for minor gains at the end of the session, with rising stocks outnumbering the losers.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index ended at 870.93 points, adding 0.51 percent to Tuesday’s 866.48 points. The large-cap FTSE 25 index expanded 1.15 percent to 2,179.24 points, while small-caps contracted 0.30 percent.

The banks index improved 0.45 percent, as Alpha grabbed 1.06 percent and National earned 0.67, while Piraeus eased 0.61 percent. Eurobank edged just 0.06 percent higher, with sources saying its board is leaning toward accepting the bid by Fortress-doValue over that by Pimco for its “Cairo” bad-loan portfolio and FPS debt management subsidiary.

Lamda Development soared 5.59 percent, Coca-Cola HBC gave the benchmark a major boost with its 5.09 percent jump, and Fourlis snatched 2.44 percent.

In total 53 stocks recorded gains, 49 took losses and 30 stayed put.

Turnover amounted to 58.2 million euros, just up on Tuesday’s 58 million.

In Nicosia the general index of the Cyprus Stock Exchange slipped 0.08 percent to close at 66.56 points.