ATHEX: Flirting with 900-pt mark

The main index at Athinon Avenue continued to test the waters around the 900-point mark on Wednesday, but showed it was not yet ready to take the leap, with blue chips presenting a mixed picture and turnover dropping back below 70 million euros.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index ended at 895.03 points, adding 0.36 percent to Tuesday’s 891.86 points. The large-cap FTSE 25 index expanded 0.57 percent to 2,254.67 points, while the mid-cap index eased 0.18 percent.

The banks index gave up 0.38 percent, with National falling 0.75 percent, Alpha shedding 0.37 percent and Eurobank easing 0.27 percent, as Piraeus edged up 0.06 percent. Lamda Development improved 2.69 percent, OPAP grew 2.26 percent, Jumbo advanced 1.69 percent, Coca-Cola HBC and Ellaktor earned 1.68 percent. Terna Energy declined 1.78 percent and Motor Oil shrank 1.75 percent.

In total 61 stocks posted gains, 41 endured losses and 27 remained unchanged.

Turnover amounted to 68 million euros, less than half of Tuesday’s 144 million.

In Nicosia the general index of the Cyprus Stock Exchange contracted 0.92 percent to 65.94 points.