Titan Cement

The constant march higher of Greek stocks continued on Wednesday, on a considerably increased turnover thanks to a number of business deals that not only increased the trading volume but also further fed the optimism among investors for medium-term gains. More than half of the day's turnover took place during the closing auctions.

Wednesday saw the benchmark of the Greek stock market register a new 11-month high on moderate daily gains that changed the earlier picture of negligible losses in a session of rather shallow trade at Athinon Avenue. 

The main index was able to turn the tables in the closing auctions, with rising stocks narrowly edging out the losers.

Greece's energy-intensive industries are exposed to wholesale market fluctuations, as the formula has not yet been found to ensure competitive electricity costs without threatening the system regarding the ceiling on producers' income, which collects money for subsidies of domestic tariffs.

The benchmark of the Greek stock market may have seen its rising streak snap on Tuesday, but that was only marginally, as its decline was negligible and the overall course appears unchanged, despite the minor profit taking on the day. The maintenance of turnover at a relatively high level also bodes well for the next few sessions.

The outlook for Greece's sovereign credit rating to return to investment grade and the 50-million-euro package of Mytilineos shares that changed hands on Monday gave a fresh boost to the Greek stock market at the beginning of the week, with its benchmark climbing to highs unseen in almost 11 months. This was the sixth consecutive session of gains for the bourse.

The prospect of a new Attica lockdown sent the Greek bourse tumbling on Tuesday, with severe losses for banks and the majority of other stocks also heading south, erasing the gains of previous days. All but two blue chips headed lower, but the decline is seen as temporary and not structural.

Greece's stock market matched the picture on most other eurozone bourses on Monday with gains secured on relatively thin trade. The Greek market will try to benefit from the desire of certain investors to take some calculated risks as Europe tries to emerge from the health crisis and Italy is close to forming a new government.

The Greek stock market's lowest trading volume of the last 13 sessions saw the benchmark suffer moderate losses on Thursday after three days of gains, as traders again appear reluctant to commit themselves to purchases until the picture regarding the coronavirus tempest clears.

The benchmark of the Greek stock market narrowly managed to avoid dropping below the 800-point mark on Monday as investors indulged in profit taking following the recent gains enjoyed by most stocks. All but two blue chips suffered losses, led by banks, in line with most other European markets.

The Greek bourse hit the ground running on the first trading day of 2021 on Monday, with prices growing as the session progressed and the closing auctions taking the benchmark above 820 points for the first time in almost 11 months. This time it was mainly energy stocks and other non-bank blue chips that led the index higher.