Athens Stock Exchange index climbs above 2,490 points amid bank gains

The Athens Stock Exchange (ATHEX) posted a weekly rise of 1.86%, closing at 2,492.71 points and edging closer to the 2,500‑point psychological threshold. The advance was led by the banking sector: the National Bank rose 3.26% to €15.69, Eurobank gained 2.61% to €4.361, Piraeus Bank climbed 2.00% to €9.376, and Alpha Bank was roughly flat. Analysts note that lower‑interest‑rate conditions and strong credit expansion support the banks, while Goldman Sachs raised price targets for several Greek banks.

Trading activity reached about €260 million, with notable package deals in construction firm EKTER accounting for €8.1 million. Energy market volatility, driven by rising Brent crude amid heightened Middle‑East tensions and remarks from U.S. officials about possible EU tariffs, added pressure but did not derail the market. Earlier in the week the General Index had moved to 2,479.62 points, up 0.96%, reflecting a broader European bullish trend despite expected weekly declines.

Overall, the Greek market showed resilience, with the high‑cap index up 1.50%, the mid‑cap up 1.04%, and a total of 67 stocks gaining, 34 losing and 22 unchanged.