EYDAP

The Athens bourse had a mixed session on Wednesday, with the benchmark and the blue chips index ending the day with gains, while banks and the majority of stocks ended up in the red. The mood changed, and with it the color of the main index, after the release of the US inflation data in March. This third rising session for the bourse also showed a notable rise in turnover.

The decline continued at the Greek bourse on Wednesday, though not as strongly as on Tuesday, with the benchmark yielding more ground. The banks index remained on a southbound course for a sixth consecutive session, underperforming the market and showing that the absence of initiatives or positive news on the domestic front will allow the momentum of the year's first quarter to slip.

After a tight session at Athinon Avenue, the main index of the Greek stock market closed on Friday with small losses that were not enough to offset all of the gains it had recorded over the course of the week.

A large hole that appeared on a central Athenian road causing major bottlenecks on Wednesday is linked to a 31-year-old unresolved bank heist, authorities said on Thursday.

Moody's decision against upgrading the Greek rating, and the JP Morgan report that Greece is not yet ready to join the developed markets poured cold water on expectation at the bourse in previous days and led to a significant decline in prices on Tuesday, at the opening of the stock market after the long weekend. Banks fared better thanks to the resilience of Eurobank and National. 

The March triple witching sent the bourse's turnover soaring to over 350 million euros on Friday, while the benchmark grabbed some more ground, all but offsetting the major losses it had suffered on Monday. That meant the week closed with small losses, for the first time after seven weeks of growth.

The placement of the state's stake in Piraeus Bank deservedly monopolized interest at Athinon Avenue on Monday, and the huge interest generated boosted the benchmark and most other stocks in the market that climbed to new 13-year highs.

In anticipation of the Piraeus Bank placement next week, the Greek stock market had a rather quiet day on Friday, at the closing of another week of gains for the main index at Athinon Avenue, the sixth in a row. The blue chip index and that of banks headed lower on the day, while the majority of stocks and the mid-cap index ended up with gains.

The main index of the Greek bourse advanced for the fifth week in a row, despite the moderate losses suffered on Friday in what was a rather quiet session. Observers note that traders may be waiting for corporate moves and the placement of the state's 27% stake in Piraeus Bank, so they are saving their strength for now.

The Greek bourse may have seen a decline in daily turnover on Monday, owing to the US holiday that kept the New York stock market closed, but most stocks posted significant gains, leading the benchmark to a new 13-year high. Growth was evenly spread across the market, confirming that investors, especially from abroad, are seeking out opportunities in the lower capitalizations too.