ATHEX: Index declines 4.95 pct in January

Buyers expecting to see Greek stock prices rise on Tuesday after two sessions of major losses were sorely disappointed. The benchmark and the majority of stocks ended lower, while Greek bond prices also dropped.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index ended at 611.75 points, shedding 0.38 percent from Monday's 614.08 points. On a monthly basis it gave up 4.95 percent.

The large-cap FTSE 25 index contracted 0.79 percent to close at 1,634.97 points, while mid-caps advanced 0.50 percent.

Banks lost 1.87 to take their January decline to 13.04 percent. Alpha fell 2.38 percent, National shrank 1.78 percent, Piraeus slumped 1.67 percent and Eurobank decreased 1.23 percent. Mytilineos improved 5.40 percent, METKA grew 4.70 percent and PPC rebounded 3.60 percent, while Titan conceded 4.06 percent.

In total 43 stocks recorded gains, 47 sustained losses and 24 ended...