FTSE

Concerns about a further escalation of tension in Syria had a major impact on eurozone markets on Wednesday, including the Greek bourse, which saw its rising streak end after three sessions of gains. Daily turnover slipped back below the 50-million-euro level.

Stocks in the Greek bourse returned to action on Tuesday after the Easter holidays with a third successive session of significant gains, but this time with quite a respectable volume in trading.

Indications that the US and China intend to negotiate instead of escalate their trade war resulted in rallies on eurozone stock markets - including in Athens, where the benchmark cleared the 800-point mark on Thursday.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 801.14 points, adding 2.56 percent to Wednesday's 781.14 points. On a weekly basis it grew 2.64 percent.

Greek stocks surprised observers on Wednesday, as prices rose despite the pressure on most foreign stock markets. The increase in bond prices, in harmony with the rest of the eurozone, and the drop in the T-bill auction rate on Wednesday played a role in the growth of stocks.

After the four-day weekend the Greek bourse reopened on Tuesday in pretty much the same fashion as it ended last week, with early losses contained in the closing auctions - propped up largely by bank stocks - while turnover dropped to holiday season levels at what was the start of a three-day trading week.

The Greek stock market ended the first quarter of the year with the benchmark down 2.73 percent since the beginning of 2018 and the banks index having fallen 10.41 percent in the same period, after yet another session of losses for most stocks on Thursday.

Greek stocks reverted to a southbound course on Wednesday, with losses contained toward the end of the session mainly thanks to notable gains by Coca-Cola HBC, which rose 2.68 percent, and to a lesser extent to oil stocks. Stock markets elsewhere in the eurozone also headed lower.

Stocks at Athinon Avenue rose in a more uniform fashion on Tuesday, at one point sending the benchmark as high as the 800-point mark. However, the momentum didn't last, and the main index had slipped back down again by the closing.

Investors finally put an end to the Greek bourse benchmark's nine-session slide on Monday. The rise was led by bank and utility stocks, while mid-caps continued their descent. Trading volume was particularly low.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 790.05 points, adding 0.55 percent to Friday's 785.72 points.

The benchmark of the Greek stock market endured a ninth consecutive southbound session on Friday, a sequence unseen since summer 2014. It has now fallen to its lowest point for the year.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 785.72 points, shedding 0.23 percent from Thursday's 787.50 points. On a weekly basis it contracted 3.46 percent.