ATHEX: Stock losses contained at closing

Closing auctions on the Greek stock market helped minimize the rather sizable losses sustained by the benchmark at the start of the trading week on Monday, with bank stocks remaining the focus of sellers due to speculation concerning the exclusion of some of them from the MSCI Standard index for emerging markets. Traders are now eyeing the publication of quarterly results by major firms tomorrow and on Thursday.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index ended at 618.84 points, shedding 0.09 percent from Friday's 619.40 points. The large-cap FTSE-25 index contracted 0.20 percent to 1,633.63 points.

The banks index slipped 0.59 percent, with Piraeus conceding 3.83 percent, National falling 1.52 percent and Alpha sliding 0.80. Eurobank climbed 1.80 percent.

Jumbo jumped 4.41 percent, Fourlis increased 1.98 percent and GEK Terna grew 1.85 percent, while Athens Water ...