Sarantis

Greek stocks retained their upward course on Friday, but the day's turnover was even lower than Thursday's, recording the smallest daily trading volume this year. Action is projected to pick up next week after the conclusion of the French elections, which appear to be holding investors back for now.

Stocks bounced back on Wednesday after Tuesday's decline, although trading volume remained at a low level, reminding observers that July is nothing like June when it comes to turnover, barring any unforeseen circumstances. Thursday may well see less action given the national holiday in the US and the general election in the UK.

On a day of reduced turnover, the Greek stock market recorded losses on Tuesday following two days of growth, in what seemed like a full reversal of Monday's rebound. More than just cashing in on recent gains, traders sent bank prices into a nosedive, partly due to the downgrade of JP Morgan's guidance on Greek stocks from "buy" to "neutral."

The Greek bourse suffered significant losses on Tuesday, with its benchmark dropping to a six-week low. The absence of any significant domestic corporate news and the anticipation of the verdict by the European Central Bank on Thursday appear to have inspired investors (including some institutional ones too) to sell, continuing last week's dominant trend.

The benchmark at Athinon Avenue has finally reconquered 1,500 points, after more than 13 years, in what was a historic session for the Greek stock market. Banks drove the main index higher, carrying the blue chip index along, while the mid-cap index was virtually a non-mover and the rising stocks outnumbered the losers by the smallest of margins on Monday.

The moderate cashing-in of profits that followed last week's notable rise saw the main index of the Greek stock market come off its 13-year highs of last Friday and settle for contained losses upon closing on Monday. Banks reined in the decline, as did some non-banking blue chips, while turnover returned to its usual level after last week's jump.

The Greek stock market returned from its five-day holiday with a jump in prices that sent the benchmark to a new 13-year high on Wednesday, on significantly increased turnover too. Led by the blue chips of the Viohalco group, Cenergy and the National Bank of Greece (NBG), Athinon Avenue has risen to such heights as to consider the benchmark of 1,500 points for its main index.

The benchmark of the Greek stock market came off Wednesday's 13-year high to show notable losses on Thursday, closing at the day's low too. The Athens market continues to anticipate corporate news such as mergers and acquisitions and was predictably in profit-taking mood on the back of six consecutive sessions of gains for the main index.

The Greek stock market failed to follow the cool reaction of most other eurozone bourses to events in Israel over the weekend, and suffered losses on Monday that were somewhat moderated toward the end.

Concerns abroad about a delay in the start of interest rate reductions by the Fed in the US were partly offset by the positive corporate results that are being issued at the Greek stock market, thereby containing the decline on Thursday at Athinon Avenue for most stocks on the board. Nevertheless, the daily turnover was the lowest of the last 11 sessions.