FTSE

Try as it might, the local bourse benchmark failed again on Thursday to get a toehold on the 650-point level, ending the session with a minor drop, although rising stocks outnumbered the losers.

The benchmark of the Greek bourse halted its four-session losing streak and rose by almost 1 percent on Wednesday. Its gains were curtailed in the closing auctions when many traders chose to cash in the day's gains, likely recalling how short-lived the recent bursts of optimism regarding the course of the bailout review have proved.

Greeks stocks presented a mixed picture on Tuesday as news that progress in the review talks should keep the creditors' mission in Athens for a few more days offset the impact of Monday's economic contraction data for the last quarter of 2016.

The downward revision of the economy's fourth-quarter results by statistics agency ELSTAT increased uncertainty at the local bourse on Monday, leading to the third consecutive session of losses for its benchmark, albeit not to the extent one might have expected considering the problems in the bailout review and the warning from Moody's.

Local stocks headed south in the week's last session, with blue chips - led by banks - clearly suffering after government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos's statement that the time of the bailout review's completion is unknown. The continued drop in trading volume is another factor worrying market observers.

Stocks on Thursday did not build on Wednesday's gains, as investors went back to waiting for news from the bailout review.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 656.04 points, shedding 0.02 percent from Wednesday's 656.17 points. The large-cap FTSE 25 index expanded 0.11 percent to 1,752.86 points.

March got off to a positive start on the Greek stock market, as the reserved optimism that the bailout review will eventually be concluded successfully was buoyed by Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos's statement about a staff-level agreement by March 20. Trading volume also posted a notable increase.

Stocks on the Athens bourse had a rather quiet start to the week on Tuesday, the same day that talks resumed on the second bailout review, with expectations remaining low for now. Trading volume only increased somewhat during the closing auctions.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 645.88 points, adding 0.08 percent to Friday's 645.37 points.

The anticipation of the start of talks between the government and the country's creditors next week, as well as the long weekend - that saw many traders cut their week short - resulted in a particularly quiet session on the local stock market on Friday, with a mixed picture dominated by sliding banks and rising small-caps.

Trading at the Greek bourse was slow on Thursday with investors hanging back and waiting for developments from the talks between Athens and its creditors that begin next week.