The underperformance of the stock market against the European markets and Wall Street continues in the absence of buyers, the corrective moves of the banks, and the profit-taking that has been taking place for several sessions in the last few.

The depreciation in the HA is being felt daily, and it remains to be seen if any second-quarter bank results will motivate the longs to take the reins again. OTE stock came out ahead again today, pointing the way to 15.50 since the banks cannot provide the required boost.

A point of concern for the market, of course, is the constant upgrades by foreign and domestic brokerages (and rating agencies) on the prices of banks, blue chips, and others and the non-sequencing on the market board. Tomorrow starts another quarter for banks that will bring a new re-rating at a time when the stocks on the board are not even close to analysts' initial targets. Since last week, meaningless trading has started with selling by stubborn investors or program trading that little start pushing banks harder just before the auctions...

On the board, the feeling of sluggishness has been maintained without any risk to mood, and turnovers remain low. On the contrary, in fact, selling continued in many securities and especially in banks, with ΝΒG taking the reins from Piraeus and retreating to the 8 euro mark.

The banking sector made a negative 6/6, and from the recent high of 1,354.57 points, they have retreated to 1,277.76 points, with Piraeus receiving the most pressure in this period and NBG and Eurobank following.

Among banks, Eurobank (8.3m) was significantly diversified with +0.98% at 2.07 euros, Alpha (2.1m) closed unchanged, Piraeus (7.6m) posted small losses -0.26% at 3.768 euros and NBG (7.9m) retreated to 8.002 euros with -1.16%.

In the sellers' crosshairs were Metlen (6.4 million) with -2.05% at EUR 36.38, Jumbo (6.2 million) at EUR 24.6 with -1.84%, PPC (1.6 million) at EUR 11.54 with -1.62% and Motor Oil (2.1 million) at EUR 23.24 with -1.53%.

With lower turnover, Ellaktor (519k), which has no upside after the capital return (22/7), today lost 2.96% at 1.97 euros, EYDAP (136k) closed at -2.08% and Autohellas (72k) at -1.85% euros.

Next to OTE in the FTSE was Elvalhalcor with +1.62% but with a turnover of only 161 thousand euros.

In the lower layers Unibios moved convincingly up for the second day with +1.7% and a turnover of 127k, as did Austriacard with +1.56% on 177k worth of transactions.