GEK Terna

Buyers have returned to the Greek bourse, bringing handsome gains for the vast majority of local stocks on Thursday, although the low trading volume suggested this was more likely a case of profit-taking than confidence in Athinon Avenue.

The Athens bourse looks set to see a revival of trading in corporate bonds for the next couple of months at least. Kathimerini understands that four new bulletins were submitted to the Capital Markets Commission last week, with the aim of raising a minimum of 100 million euros in total.

The benchmark of the Greek bourse yo-yoed on Thursday, with early gains wiped out before the closing auctions saw a fresh surge, taking the main index - and the majority of local stocks - higher on increased turnover.

The Greek stock market saw buyers take a step back on Thursday, with the market showing a mixed picture after three days of strong gains: Banks and Coca-Cola HBC dragged the benchmark lower, but the majority of stocks ended the day higher.

Shares in Public Power Corporation soared 15.69 percent on Wednesday, and along with ADMIE Holdings' 5.09 percent rise powered the benchmark of the Greek bourse to another day of significant gains, with daily turnover remaining above the 100-million-euro mark. This time banks were mere also-rans in a session dominated by energy stocks.

Buyers made a comeback at the Greek stock market on Friday, as they took the benchmark more than 1 percent higher while turnover surged above 150 million euros. The market appeared to have been expecting that Greece's credit rating would be upgraded by Standard & Poor's.

The Greek bourse's benchmark declined for a second day in a row on Thursday as sellers retained the upper hand after Wednesday's notable drop, but attention also shifted to mid-caps, which showed a mixed picture with their index posting moderate gains in a session of reduced trading volume. That led to stocks being split down the middle between winners and losers.

The trading week in Athens got off to a mixed start, as the pressure on National Bank and Eurobank sent the benchmark and the blue chip index lower, while the majority of other stocks enjoyed gains, leading the mid-cap and the small-cap indices higher.

The pattern of one losing session in every six continued at the Athens bourse on Wednesday as the benchmark posted a small decline with the morning losses contained over the course of the day. The volatile session saw an increase in turnover above the 70-million-euro mark.

Stocks in the Greek bourse continued their ascent on Friday, supported by the significant decline recorded in bond yields. The main index advanced for the 13th time in the last 15 sessions with total gains that exceed 12 percent.