Greek equities ended Friday's session in positive territory, supported by advances across the construction, travel and technology sectors. At the close in Athens, the Athens General Composite recorded a gain of 0.10%.
Among individual movers, Lavipharm SA (AT:LPHr) was the top performer, jumping 4.77% - a rise of 0.06 points - to finish at 1.23. HELLENiQ ENERGY Holdings SA (AT:HEPr) gained 4.40%, or 0.40 points, closing at 9.50, while Metlen Energy & Metals (AT:MTLNr) rose 4.37% - up 1.58 points - to 37.70 in late trade.
On the downside, Athens International Airport SA (AT:AIAr) led laggards, slipping 1.67% or 0.18 points to end the day at 10.63. National Bank of Greece SA (AT:NBGr) retreated 1.63% - down 0.21 points - to 12.69 and Eurobank Ergasias SA (AT:EURBr) declined 1.43%, a fall of 0.05 points, to 3.45.
Market breadth was positive: rising issues outnumbered decliners by 81 to 32, while 15 stocks finished unchanged on the Athens Stock Exchange.
Notably, shares of HELLENiQ ENERGY Holdings SA (AT:HEPr) reached five-year highs as they rose 4.40% or 0.40 to close at 9.50.
Commodities and currencies
In commodities trading, Gold Futures for April delivery fell by 1.42%, a drop of 72.71, to settle at $5,053.09 a troy ounce. Oil prices moved higher: April delivery crude oil increased 0.51% or 0.49 to $96.22 a barrel, while the May Brent contract advanced 0.93% or 0.93 to trade at $101.39 a barrel.
Currency markets saw the euro weaken against the dollar and hold against the pound. EUR/USD was down 0.58% to 1.14, and EUR/GBP was at 0.86, reflecting a 0.17% change. The US Dollar Index Futures rose 0.56% to 100.31.
Market context and takeaway
The session delivered modest overall gains for Athens, driven by pockets of strength in energy and select industrial and technology-related names, while some financial and transport names fell back. The contrasting moves in commodities and the stronger dollar provided an uneven backdrop for the local market.
Overall, the close left the index slightly higher, with a clear split between winners and losers across sectors.