Positive signs for the second consecutive day on the Athens Stock Exchange, with buyers taking the lead about two hours before the end of the session. Earlier, the General Index was in tune with the negative sentiment in global markets, with nervousness evident globally after the Microsoft systems blackout. However, the scene then changed, with buyers ramping up at the close.

Specifically, in Friday's (19/7) session, the General Index gained 6.65 points or +0.46%, to close at 1,464.39 points, just 0.01 point off the day's high of 1,464.40 points. The day's low was located at 1,449.65 points. This was the third consecutive weekly rise in the GD, gaining +0.83% over the five-day period July 15–19. Within the month, it is up +4.28% and this year's return "touches" +13.24%. It even closed at a 7-week high (next highest close was 1,471.63 points on May 28).

Central to today's upward effort by the X.A. was the banking sector. Energy stocks were also dynamic. Eurobank (new high of more than 8.5 years), Motor Oil, Metlen, Piraeus and HELLENiQ ENERGY stood out due to their gains, while Cenergy Holdings corrected on the contrary. Turnover was subdued for yet another session as conditions of summer lushness prevailed in the domestic market throughout July.

Friday's session ended with a gain of +1% for the banking index, which closed at 1,321.80 points. The FTSE EU (energy and utilities) was higher by +1.19% at 5,063.49 points. The FTSE 25 (high cap) was up +0.67% at 3,577.95 points, while the Mid Cap (mid cap) was down -0.39% at 2,307.59 points.

On a weekly basis, the Bank Index "climbed" by +3.77%, the Large Cap gained +1.21%, and the Mid Cap, on the contrary, fell -0.49%.

Transaction activity amounted to just 76.349 million euros, with the value of packages "touching" 2.716 million euros. OTE, Piraeus, Alpha Bank, and ΝΒG came in second with more than EUR 7 million in revenue, trailing Eurobank by EUR 10 million. The market capitalisation amounts to EUR 101.659 billion. Positive signs for 48 stocks, negative for 50, while 21 stocks closed unchanged.

Among the systemic banks, Eurobank rose +1.39% to 2.189 euros, followed by Piraeus (+1.27% to 3.9 euros), NBG (+1.22% to 8.3 euros), and Alpha Bank (+0.21% to 1.678 euros). As for Eurobank, today's close was the highest in more than 8.5 years, although intraday this year it has reached 2.209 euros (11 June).