Mild losses on Wall Street, tech-related pressures in Asian markets, and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz have left some investors cautious.
Trading at a marginal premium from 7,483 points, S&P 500 futures are in focus ahead of the release of key economic data today, Thursday.
Keep in mind that tomorrow, Friday, July 3, Wall Street will remain closed due to the July 4 holiday.
The trading session opened lower for investors on European stock exchanges, while their counterparts on Euronext Athens opened higher at 2,481.33 points.
This divergence is primarily due to the return of buyers to the banking sector, as well as to specific blue-chip stocks.
The DTR was up 1.37%, with increased trading volume, as approximately 26 million shares out of a total of 38 million were traded, primarily in the shares of systemic banks.
The 11.24 million shares traded in Alpha Bank reinforce the view that buyers are returning to the banking sector.
With increased trading volume, National Bank, Piraeus Bank, Eurobank, as well as Bank of Cyprus and Credia Bank, all saw gains.
Alongside the banking stocks, buying interest was also seen in GEK Terna, Motor Oil, Jumbo, Allwyn, Metlen, Lamda Development, and Coca-Cola HBC.
It remains to be seen whether yesterday’s divergence of the Greek market from European stock exchanges was an isolated reaction or a precursor to broader activity by “big players.”
Developments at the GEK Terna Group, with Stelios Bouras referring to the 2.3 billion euro ammunition, keep it in the spotlight, as do Pantelakis’s new target prices for Motor Oil and Helleniq Energy.
Among mid-caps, AVE management’s “stop loss” regarding Carrefour’s expansion is driving the stock higher, as are the ownership and management changes at Real Consulting.