Economic indicators

Traders reverted to profit-taking at the Greek bourse on Thursday, following morning gains, with refineries and industrial companies being at the focus of sellers this time instead of banks, whose index has been in decline all week. Most of the losses were recorded in the closing auctions, with the benchmark ending the session at the day's low.

Unfazed by news of a German recession and a US credit default threat, the Greek stock market reverted to its upward trajectory on remarkable trading volume on Thursday, recapturing the 1,200-point level, with the help of growth in bank stocks. The universally positive first-quarter results of listed companies also contributed to the price growth.

The main index at the Greek bourse slid back below the 1,200-point level it had captured this week, as on Wednesday it gave up some of the ground earned during Monday's huge rise. 

Banks were at the center of the market's profit-taking, though many mid-caps resisted the pressure and their index fared better than the rest of the market, losing only 0.66%.

The market's growing optimism about political stability in Greece after the elections and the favorable views on Greek banks by foreign firms contributed to a significant rebound of local stocks on Tuesday that sent the Athens benchmark to levels unseen in nearly nine years. The price rise also came with an increase in turnover, which approached 100 million euros.

The main index at the Greek bourse cleared the 1,100-point bar with relative ease on Friday, ending a week of gains and moderate trading volume. This last session of the week showed price growth across the board in what was the fourth consecutive day of gains for the benchmark.

The banking sector shook off foreign and domestic concerns - related to the decline of US lender First Republic and the promise by main opposition leader Alexis Tsipras to nationalize National Bank of Greece if he comes to power - and swung to gains at the end of Wednesday's bourse session, leaving the benchmark with moderate gains.

The Greek stock market returned from the Easter break with more appetite for growth, as on Tuesday its benchmark climbed for the 11th session in a row.

The Goldman Sachs comment on Wednesday afternoon that the Greek economy will stay strong despite any political turmoil, and even regain investment grade in three weeks' time, helped the Greek stock market secure gains on Wednesday, even if it had struggled to keep pace with the rest of its eurozone peers. Moody's positive outlook of the local credit sector also helped.

Traders at Athinon Avenue reacted with surprise to the largely predictable announcement of the general election on May 21, swinging the main index of the Greek stock market to losses that exceeded 1% by the end of Tuesday's session.

The Greek bourse recovered almost half of the ground it had lost in the near-3% decline of its benchmark last Friday, but it was on particularly low turnover, which does not bode well for the coming days.