ATHEX: Benchmark edges higher but PPC keeps losing ground

Traders reacted to Monday's decline on Tuesday with a small rebound for most stocks, though the session at Athinon Avenue was clearly overshadowed by the state bond issue whose books opened half an hour before trading started on the bourse.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index ended at 855.91 points, adding 0.54 percent to Monday's 851.28 closing. The large-cap FTSE-25 index expanded 0.22 percent to end at 2,118.84 points, and mid-caps grew 2.34 percent.

The banks index gained 1.13 percent, as National jumped 3.51 percent, Piraeus collected 0.91 percent, Alpha increased 0.50 percent and Eurobank advanced 0.43 percent. Cenergy Holdings soared 6.38 percent and Titan Cement improved 5.41 percent, while Public Power Corporation dropped 5.45 percent.

In total 65 stocks posted gains, 46 took losses and 25 stayed put.

Turnover amounted to 58.9 million...