Late buys led to mild ATHEX rise

For the second straight session, the Athens Stock Exchange followed European markets in posting mild gains.

The general index ended at 1,436.11 points, a 0.25% gain.

During the session it dipped as low as 1,429.26 (-0.23%), but buying interest in banks in the closing minutes limited losses in that sector and pushed the overall market into positive territory.

Turnover inched up again, to €76.44 million on 17,625,148 shares changing hands, more than two thirds being bank stocks.

Blue chips gained 0.26%, while mid-caps dipped 0.16%.

Among blue chips, the biggest gainers were construction group Ellaktor (3.70%), metals company Viohalco (3.13%), Motor Oil (2.65%), and toy firm Jumbo (2.06%). The loss leaders were telecoms firm OTE (1.65%), Piraeus Bank (0.88%) and power company PPC (0.86%).

Volume leaders were Eurobank and Piraeus, with 6,157...