Eurobank

The performance of the Greek stock market has got everyone reaching for their record books, as the benchmark at Athinon Avenue climbed to its highest point since May 2011 on Thursday. Banks were again the driver of growth, while some blue chips that have recently recorded major gains experienced some profit-taking at the start of the new month.

January ended with a new 10-year high for the Greek stock market benchmark, which also posted monthly growth of 5.82%. Going from strength to strength, the Athens bourse saw prices rise for a third month in succession, while trading volume is also showing signs of health.

Despite the attention the new 10-year bond issue garnered on Tuesday, the index and the trading volume rebounded at Athinon Avenue, driven by the growth of Piraeus Bank, which reached a new high. The momentum remains positive at the Greek bourse and, despite the temporary ups and downs, the underlying trend points to significant gains for the year that is now one month old.

Monday's stock session followed the course of the Greek weather, with a steady decline in prices matching the drop in temperatures. The benchmark narrowly managed to stay above the 1,350-point level, mainly thanks to the activity of some buyers in selected blue chips, while the prospect of the Athens International Airport listing absorbed some of the market's liquidity.

The stock market at Athinon Avenue came off Wednesday's decade-high to suffer losses on Thursday that were somewhat moderated by the end of the session. Observers noted the intention of investors to sell and secure some liquidity in order to join the public offering of Athens International Airport - a process that began on Thursday.

The rally continued at the Greek stock market on Wednesday, with the benchmark climbing to a new decade-high despite the fragmented picture among blue chips. Eventually the main index advanced thanks to specific buys made among non-bank large-caps. Mid-caps outperformed once again, as traders seek out investment opportunities in underbought stocks.

The Greek stock market managed on Tuesday to hold on to some of its mid-session gains, with the benchmark closing near the decade-high recorded on January 15. Stocks showed a mixed picture, with the gainers narrowly outnumbering decliners, the blue chip index ending with growth and banks posting a small drop.

Bank stocks and a number of other blue chips worked toward a significant increase of the main index at Athinon Avenue on Monday. The benchmark is returning close to its decade highs recorded earlier this month, helped also by mid-caps, which outperformed on the day.

The Greek bourse ended its first losing week in more than a month after a mixed session that saw blue chips growing but the main index as well as the majority of stocks shrinking. A number of prearranged packages sent the daily turnover very high, though net trading was rather slow.

A number of blue chips, including banks, attracted significant buying interest at Athinon Avenue on Thursday, with the benchmark rebounding after two days of decline and closing near the day's highs. Still, the rest of the board saw little action, with considerably lower trading volume.