Decline continues while investors take a break
Stocks declined for a third day yesterday on the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE), in a session marked by sharply lower turnover. The ASE composite share price index closed at 4,188.70 points, a decline of 16.42 points or 0.39 percent. On a weekly basis, it shed 2.40 percent. The Athens Stock Exchange will be closed today and Monday because of the Easter weekend for Catholics and Protestants (the Orthodox follow a week later), which will keep markets around the world shut. The FTSE/ASE 20 index of blue chips shed 0.31 percent to close at 2,275.35 points, while mid- and small-caps declined 0.14 percent and 0.43 percent respectively. The FTSE/Athex International index declined 0.27 percent, closing at 5,845.94 points. Among blue chips, the greatest losses were sustained by refiner Hellenic Petroleum (down 2.31 percent to 11.86 euros), metals group Viohalco (2.28 percent to 8.56 euros), technology holding company Intracom (1.86 percent to 6.32 euros), betting company OPAP (1.51 percent to 31.22 euros) and jewelry maker and retailer Folli-Follie (1.26 percent to 23.60 euros). Out of 317 traded shares, 93 gained, 161 declined and 63 ended unchanged. Turnover reached 223.82 million euros, including 33.41 million in prearranged trades.
