ATHEX: Fourth week of growth for bourse

Stock prices staged a comeback on Friday to see the benchmark end the week with gains for the fourth consecutive week - a sequence unseen in over four months. The bank sector this time bucked the trend and finished the day with losses, ahead of the announcement of the four systemic lenders' first-half results from next Wednesday.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 1,469.82 points, adding 0.37% from Thursday's 1,463.82 points. On a weekly basis it advanced 0.33%.

The large-cap FTSE-25 index expanded 0.36%, ending at 3,575.55 points, while the banks index contracted 0.49%, as Alpha declined 1.25%, Eurobank fell 0.59%, Piraeus conceded 0.55% and National slipped 0.02%. Lamda Development advanced 2.89%, Athens International Airport improved 2.67%, Metlen earned 2.21%, PPC grabbed 1.13% and Autohellas gained 1.02%.

In total 59 stocks obtained gains,...