ATHENS: The moderate gains recorded in the Greek bourse’s last session of the year meant that the benchmark finished 2016 in the green, adding 1.95 percent to its value at the end of 2015. This meant that after two years of decline (2014 and 2015), the main index at Athinon Avenue has recorded a small recovery.
The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed on Friday at 643.64 points, adding 1.09 percent to Thursday’s 636.67 points. On a weekly basis it rose 2.12 percent, and has climbed 2.37 percent since end-November. The large-cap FTSE 25 index expanded 1.36 percent on Friday to close at 1,740.86 points.
Despite the upward closing of the year for the benchmark, the banks index recorded an annual 29 percent drop, as the rise of last May after February’s slump proved no more than a mere blip. All systemic banks had their stock prices drop below their recapitalization price of late 2015.
On Friday banks advanced 2.93 percent, with Alpha rising 4.40 percent to 1.90 euros (rather close to its capital increase price of 2 euros) and Attica putting an end to its declining streak with gains of 3.57 percent.
In total 68 stocks showed growth, 38 posted losses and 15 closed unchanged. Turnover amounted to 30.3 million euros, up from Thursday’s 18.7 million. In Nicosia the general index of the Cyprus Stock Exchange jumped 1.14 percent to close at 66.41 points.
