ATHEX Index Falls 0.15% Despite Bank Gains

The ATHEX general index closed at 2,697.58 points on Thursday. This represents a 0.15% decline from the 2,701.69 points recorded on Wednesday. Sellers dominated the session on the Greek bourse. The decline aligned with broader trends in eurozone markets. This movement followed the European Central Bank's scheduled interest rate hike.

Banking Sector Defies Market Trend

The banks index rose 0.45% against the broader market slide. Optima Bank led the sector with a 5.45% gain. Alpha Bank increased by 1.72% during the session. Bank of Cyprus climbed 0.96% and National Bank rose 0.32%. Some of these blue chips reached all-time highs. Eurobank fell 0.53%, while Piraeus Bank dropped 0.33%. CrediaBank ended the day down 0.10%.

Market Volume Declines Significantly

Total turnover reached 397.1 million euros on Thursday. This figure is lower than the 429.6 million euros seen on Tuesday. Thirty-six stocks reported gains during the session. Sixty-four stocks sustained losses, while 24 remained unchanged. The FTSE-25 large-cap index expanded 0.01% to end at 6,919.69 points. Mid-cap stocks contracted by 0.63% during the trading hours.

Oil Sector Faces Profit Taking

Rising oil rates continued to pressure market sentiment. Motor Oil suffered profit-taking and dropped 3.57% in value. The eKathimerini report notes that this sector faced specific headwinds. In Nicosia, the Cyprus Stock Exchange general index also declined. It decreased 0.22% to close at 317.83 points. This regional weakness mirrored the broader eurozone trends.