ATHEX: Bourse ends week with a slide of 1.76 percent

A positive start to the week's final session in the Athens stock market gave way to a moderate decline in the majority of stocks later in the day, extending the week's losses for the benchmark, as trading volume remained disappointingly low for one more day.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 671.57 points, shedding 0.42 percent from Thursday's 674.40 points. On a weekly basis it declined 1.76 percent. The large-cap FTSE 25 index contracted 0.46 percent to 1,795.70 points.

The banks index surrendered 0.91 to take its weekly drop to 1.32 percent. Eurobank slid 1.99 percent, Piraeus shrank 1.19 percent and Alpha conceded 0.58 percent.

Among other blue chips, Hellenic Exchanges slumped 2.32 percent and OTE telecom fell 2.16 percent, while Sarantis added 2.65 percent and Terna Energy improved 0.99 percent.

In total 37 stocks recorded gains, 54...