Stock Markets February 19, 2026

Athens shares slip as banks, telecoms and household names weigh on market

Athens General Composite falls 2.22% as major lenders lead declines; commodities and FX show mixed moves

By Hana Yamamoto
Athens shares slip as banks, telecoms and household names weigh on market

Greece's benchmark Athens General Composite closed down 2.22% following losses concentrated in the Banking, Telecoms and Household sectors. Several large-cap lenders posted the heaviest drops while a small group of stocks gained. Commodity and FX contracts moved higher or held steady in late trade, with oil prices up and the dollar modestly firmer.

Key Points

  • Athens General Composite closed down 2.22% as Banking, Telecoms and Household sectors led declines.
  • Top gainers included AT:EXCr (+2.09%), AT:INLIFr (+1.55%) and AT:ADMr (+0.68%); major losers included AT:ACBr (-4.39%), AT:BOPr (-4.22%) and AT:QLCOr (-4.15%).
  • Commodities and FX: April Gold Futures rose 0.50% to $5,034.56/oz; April crude rose to $66.41/bbl and April Brent to $71.61/bbl; EUR/USD and EUR/GBP were largely unchanged; US Dollar Index Futures was up at 97.76.

Greek equities finished the trading day lower on Thursday, with sector weakness in Banking, Telecoms and Household names pushing the Athens General Composite down 2.22% at the close.

Among individual movers, Hellenic Exchanges Athens Stock Exchange SA (AT:EXCr) was one of the few gainers, advancing 2.09% or 0.13 points to close at 6.35. Interlife General Insurance Company SA (AT:INLIFr) climbed 1.55% or 0.10 points to finish at 6.54, and Holding Company ADMIE IPTO SA (AT:ADMr) added 0.68% or 0.02 points to end the session at 2.95.

On the downside, Alpha Bank SA (AT:ACBr) registered the largest drop among the most active names, falling 4.39% or 0.17 points to close at 3.72. Piraeus Bank SA (AT:BOPr) declined 4.22% or 0.36 points to finish at 8.18, and Qualco Group SA (AT:QLCOr) slipped 4.15% or 0.25 points to 5.77 at the close.

Market breadth was negative: falling issues outnumbered advancers by 107 to 19, and 9 stocks ended unchanged on the Athens Stock Exchange.

Commodities showed notable moves in tandem with the equity weakness. Gold Futures for April delivery rose 0.50% or 25.06 to $5,034.56 a troy ounce. In energy markets, crude oil for April delivery gained 2.09% or 1.36 to reach $66.41 a barrel, while the April Brent contract increased 1.79% or 1.26 to trade at $71.61 a barrel.

Currency markets were relatively stable in late trade. EUR/USD was unchanged, moving 0.10% to 1.18, and EUR/GBP was also unchanged, changing 0.09% to 0.87. The US Dollar Index Futures rose 0.15% to 97.76.


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Trading participants will weigh the distribution of losses across financials and household-related names as they position for the next session. The near-term landscape remains defined by the outsize moves among Greece's largest lenders and selective gains in non-bank names.

Risks

  • Concentration of losses in the Banking sector - banking stocks such as AT:ACBr and AT:BOPr recorded the largest declines, introducing downside risk to financial-sector exposure.
  • Broad market participation in downside - with 107 falling stocks versus 19 advancing, market breadth signals potential continued selling pressure across sectors.
  • Commodity price moves - gains in crude oil and gold prices could influence sentiment and input costs for certain sectors, affecting market dynamics.

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