ATHEX: Mood swing helps bourse close higher

The Athens bourse had a mixed session on Wednesday, with the benchmark and the blue chips index ending the day with gains, while banks and the majority of stocks ended up in the red. The mood changed, and with it the color of the main index, after the release of the US inflation data in March. This third rising session for the bourse also showed a notable rise in turnover.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 1,420.30 points, adding 0.18% to Tuesday's 1,417.75 points. The large-cap FTSE-25 index expanded 0.26%, ending at 3,440.69 points, though mid-caps contracted 0.48%.

The banks index conceded 0.16%, on Eurobank giving up 0.94% and Alpha easing 0.24%, just as National earned 0.48% and Piraeus stayed put. ElvalHalcor dropped 2.95% and EYDAP fell 2.11%, whereas OTE telecom advanced 2.95%.

In total 39 stocks notched up gains, 63 showed losses and...