Fourlis

The benchmark of the Greek bourse slipped to a three-week low while turnover was the smallest in three months on Monday, partly due to a US holiday that kept buyers away. The reopening of brick-and-mortar stores apparently had little effect on the stock market, which is eager for some assurances this will not be a mere blip.

Though few admitted to it, there was much anticipation that Friday's triple-witching session at the Greek bourse would be the one to take the benchmark above the psychologically significant level of 800 points.

Losses accelerated at the Greek stock market on Wednesday as buyers were far outnumbered by buyers and the benchmark closed at the day's low. Bank and energy stocks lost much of the ground gained in recent days.

Bank stocks continued their advance on Tuesday, while investor attention was focused on the benchmark bond issue, but non-banking stocks dragged the main index lower at the start of this four-day trading week at Athinon Avenue.

Traders had appeared set to cash in recent stock gains at Athinon Avenue on Thursday, but the European Central Bank's announcement that assistance for eurozone member-states would be boosted contained the drop in prices, while the mid-cap index went up.

The European Commission announcements concerning grants and loans for member-states adding up to 750 million euros gave Greek stocks a major boost on Wednesday, in line with most other European bourses. The fourth consecutive day of gains on the highest turnover of the last two-and-a-half months took the benchmark over 8.5% higher compared to last Thursday's closing.

Despite the hour-long interruption to Tuesday's trading session due to a technical failure, bank stocks staged an impressive rebound of more than 12%, taking the benchmark at Athinon Avenue to fresh gains. The international climate continues to improve as hopes for a coronavirus vaccine keep growing, helping turnover in the local market to recover.

Popular Swedish furniture and houseware retailer IKEA is set to open an "urban concept store" in downtown Piraeus, following the success two years ago of a pop-up store opened in the Greek port city.

Banking and energy stocks boosted the Greek bourse on the last day of this week, although the benchmark ended up holding onto just a fraction of the gains it had recorded before the closing auctions. Even so its consolidation well above the 600-point mark is a positive omen ahead of next week.

Bank stocks continued their advance at Athinon Avenue on Wednesday, carrying the market's benchmark to a new two-month high, although the low turnover pointed to traders waiting to see how the pandemic will evolve. Stocks were split down the middle between winners and losers.