ATHEX: Banks feed another day of stock growth

The positive views on the Greek economy and its banks by various foreign firms, including rating agency DBRS Morningstar, continue to feed traders’ buying interest, which is also trickling down to mid- and small-caps. This carried the benchmark through to another day of growth on Wednesday, on higher trading volume too thanks to a number of packages that changed hands.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index ended at 928.66 points, adding 0.66 percent to Tuesday’s 923.69 points. The large-cap FTSE 25 index expanded 0.95 percent to 2,324.30 points.

The banks index jumped 2.80 percent, with Eurobank earning 4.59 percent, National rising 2.78 percent and Alpha grabbing 2.48 percent, as Piraeus slipped 0.30 percent. Coca-Cola HBC grew 2.06 percent and Terna Energy advanced 1.75 percent, while OTE telecom declined 1.44 percent, Public Power Corporation eased 0.90 percent and Motor Oil contracted 0.88 percent.

In total 66 stocks secured gains, 39 suffered losses and 29 remained unchanged.

Turnover amounted to 91 million euros, up from Tuesday’s 75.7 million.

In Nicosia the general index of the Cyprus Stock Exchange improved 0.39 percent to close at 67.49 points.