Viohalco

The disturbingly low turnover was the main feature of the month's first trading session at Athinon Avenue, while banks helped push the benchmark up more than four points, with some support from OPAP gaming company.

The Greek bourse failed to match the momentum recorded on other European stock markets on Wednesday, posting marginal gains on very low trading volume. OPAP gaming company and a few other blue chips kept the main index afloat despite the notable decline of banks.

The Bank of Japan's surprise decision to keep interest rates unchanged against expectations for a drop deeper into negative territory bolstered most European bourses on Wednesday before interest turned toward the Fed verdict, but the Greek stock market felt little of that positive effect.

Greek stocks had something of a rocky session at the start of the week as the morning satisfaction following the vote in Parliament on the key tax and social security bills was succeeded by concerns over the outcome of Monday's Eurogroup. The positive signs from the Euro Working Group meeting eventually led to some gains for most stocks.

Stocks rallied at the Athens bourse on Thursday as the prospect of an agreement between Greece and its creditors drew nearer. The benchmark cleared 600 points and banks earned 7.13 percent.

A Morgan Stanley report that was published on Wednesday and forecast a swift end to the country's negotiations with its creditors gave a significant push to the local stock market upon its reopening after the Easter and May Day holidays. The report was particularly bullish on Greek bank stocks, whose index gained 3.01 percent on Wednesday.

An immediate impact was seen on the Greek stock market on Wednesday after the negotiations between Athens and its creditors hit a snag on Tuesday, inflicting significant losses, mainly on bank stocks, as well as the benchmark.

The market?s fatigue with Athens?s inability to conclude an agreement with the country?s creditors and the growing prospect of a referendum that government officials are pointing to resulted in fresh losses during Monday?s bourse session as investors expected nothing concrete from the Eurogroup meeting in Brussels.