Hellenic Petroleum

The two candidate investors vying for 50.1 percent of Hellenic Petroleum (HELPE), Vitol and Glencore, are seeking partners to submit joint binding bids for the majority stake in the listed company by January 2019.

Thursday's drop at the Athens stock exchange (ATHEX) was quite tame compared to losses recorded in most other European markets - and considering the slide in Greek bond prices.

The ATHEX general index ended at 652.04 points, shedding 0.74 percent from Wednesday's 656.92 points. The large-cap FTSE-25 index contracted 0.92 percent to 1,705.11 points.

The MSCI stock index rebalancing was completed on Friday, while investors repositioned themselves accordingly, leading to a second day of notable gains at Athinon Avenue, as many foreign traders closed their books for the year at the end of a month that saw the main index slide 1.55 percent.

Greece has told short-listed investors to submit final bids for a majority stake in its biggest oil refiner Hellenic Petroleum (HELPE) by January, two sources close to the sale said on Monday, pushing the deadline back from November.

Greece has told shortlisted investors to submit final bids for a majority stake in its biggest oil refiner Hellenic Petroleum by January, two sources close to the sale said on Monday, pushing the deadline back from November.

Energy Minister Giorgos Stathakis has floated the idea of the state retaining majority or even full control of the company to which Hellenic Petroleum (HELPE) will transfer the hydrocarbon surveying and utilization rights conceded to it.

The main feature of the week's last session at Athinon Avenue was very low trading volume - aside from prearranged packages - with a few buyers taking the benchmark's weekly gains to almost 4 percent.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index ended at 643.42 points, adding just 0.43 percent to Thursday's 640.67 points. On a weekly basis it improved 3.88 percent.

Hellenic Petroleum, Greece's biggest oil refiner, reported a 15 percent rise in third-quarter core profit on Thursday with stronger sales volumes more than offsetting lower refining margins.

A handful of blue chips carried the benchmark at the Greek bourse higher on Tuesday, a defensive move that boosted stock prices from lows that dragged the main index down to near 610 points.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index ended at 629.84 points, adding 1.78 percent to Monday's 618.84-point closing. The large-cap FTSE-25 index contracted 0.20 percent to 1,633.63 points.

Traders' stop-loss move during the latter part of Friday's session at the Athens stock market preserved the benchmark's gains since Monday, with the main index chalking up its first weekly increase after four consecutive weeks of losses.

The ATHEX general index ended at 633.27 points, shedding 0.03 percent from Thursday's 633.46 points. On a weekly basis it rose 1.35 percent.