The Athens Stock Exchange closed at a new 14-year high today, with the General Index rising 2.58% to 1,666.21 points. The session was marked by strong buying interest, aligning with global market trends and maintaining an upward trajectory throughout the day. Investors are now turning their attention to the next milestone of 1,700 points, as positive sentiment and robust investment appetite persist.
Total trading volume reached €261.67 million, with 26 block trades valued at €33.6 million standing out. The largest transactions included shares of AVAX (€13 million), Piraeus Bank (€3.5 million), Alpha Bank (€6.9 million), Eurobank (€5.7 million), and Bank of Cyprus (€2.4 million). Total traded shares amounted to 71.23 million, with the banking sector once again dominating the session.
The banking index posted a strong 4.22% gain, closing at 1,613.34 points, while the FTSE Large Cap index climbed 2.94% to 4,118.36 points. The Mid-Cap index (FTSEM) also advanced by 1.7%, reaching 2,502.66 points.
The Greek stock market benefited from the positive global outlook, as the easing of inflation in the U.S. to 2.8% and the stabilization of core inflation at 3.1% fueled risk appetite. Investors focused heavily on the banking sector, which accounted for 61% of total turnover (€160 million). Alpha Bank surged 5.98% to €2.196, Eurobank gained 4.64% to €2.569, National Bank of Greece advanced 3.77% to €9.806, and Piraeus Bank climbed 3.38% to €4.951.
Beyond banks, blue-chip stocks also saw notable gains. Viohalco closed up 3.21%, Titan Cement rose 3.16%, and Aktor gained 3.06%. Public Power Corporation (PPC) advanced 2.87%, Mytilineos increased 2.79%, while Lambda, Sarantis, Aegean Airlines, EYDAP, and OPAP all posted gains exceeding 2%. The only large-cap stock to end in negative territory was Cenergy, which fell 0.96% to €9.25.
