Nicosia

With all eyes firmly fixed on Friday's Eurogroup meeting in Malta, the Greek stock market edged up on low trading on Thursday despite the losses registered by bank stocks.

The Greek bourse benchmark rose for a fourth consecutive session on Thursday, with most stocks posting gains, although not to the extent observed in recent days.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 670.42 points, adding 0.28 percent to Wednesday's 668.55 points.

Another day of uncertainty over the bailout review talks brought another mixed day at the local bourse on Thursday, with the benchmark staying put at 640 points for a third consecutive day.

The euphoria witnessed on other markets in response to the Dutch election results failed to register in Greece on Thursday, as investors remain reserved about the talks between Athens and its creditors, hence the 0.06 percent drop of the banks index.

Try as it might, the local bourse benchmark failed again on Thursday to get a toehold on the 650-point level, ending the session with a minor drop, although rising stocks outnumbered the losers.

Stocks on Thursday did not build on Wednesday's gains, as investors went back to waiting for news from the bailout review.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 656.04 points, shedding 0.02 percent from Wednesday's 656.17 points. The large-cap FTSE 25 index expanded 0.11 percent to 1,752.86 points.

A quiet day on the Greek bourse on Thursday left a mixed picture among stocks with the lowest trading volume of the last eight sessions.

Athinon Avenue retained its slow northbound course on Thursday, hitting a new 14-month high, although trading volume remained very low.

The Greek bourse benchmark advanced for a sixth day in a row on Thursday, ending the week just above 660 points, on ever rising volume.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 660.30 points, adding 0.42 percent to Wednesday's 657.54 points. On a weekly basis it grew 2.59 percent.

Investor jitters over relations between Athens and its creditors were evident at the Greek bourse again on Thursday, leading to more losses for most stocks.