Stock Markets April 23, 2026 10:50 AM

Athens stocks tick higher as Construction, Travel and Banking names lead gains

Athens General Composite edges up 0.23% as select water and card-related stocks jump while several financial and industrial names retreat

By Maya Rios
Athens stocks tick higher as Construction, Travel and Banking names lead gains

Greece's benchmark advanced modestly at Thursday's close, with the Athens General Composite rising 0.23%. Gains were concentrated in Construction, Travel and Banking sectors. Austriacard Holdings, Athens Water and Thessaloniki Water and Sewage Co posted the largest percentage increases, while Cenergy Holdings, Interlife General Insurance and Alpha Bank were among the largest decliners. Commodity and FX markets registered mixed moves, with crude and Brent higher and gold futures lower.

Key Points

  • Athens General Composite rose 0.23% at Thursday's close, led by advances in Construction, Travel and Banking stocks.
  • Top individual gainers included Austriacard Holdings (+7.88%), Athens Water (+6.57%, reaching a five-year high) and Thessaloniki Water and Sewage (+4.66%).
  • Cenergy Holdings, Interlife General Insurance and Alpha Bank were among the largest decliners; overall breadth saw 60 advancers, 52 decliners and 17 unchanged. Commodity and FX moves were mixed, with crude and Brent higher and gold futures lower.

Greece's main index finished Thursday's session on a positive note, with the Athens General Composite adding 0.23% by the close in Athens. The market advance was driven by strength in several sector groupings, notably Construction, Travel and Banking.

The session's top performers on the index included Austriacard Holdings AG (AT:ACAGr), which climbed 7.88% or 0.57 points to settle at 7.80. Athens Water (AT:EYDr) rose 6.57% or 0.62 points to close at 10.06, reaching a five-year high during the move. Thessaloniki Water and Sewage Co SA (AT:TWSr) gained 4.66% or 0.18 points to finish at 3.93.

On the downside, Cenergy Holdings SA (AT:CENEr) led losses, falling 2.19% or 0.46 points to end the day at 20.54. Interlife General Insurance Company SA (AT:INLIFr) slipped 1.43% or 0.10 points to 6.90 and Alpha Bank SA (AT:ACBr) declined 1.19% or 0.04 points to close at 3.65.

Market breadth was mixed but leaned toward gains, with 60 stocks advancing against 52 decliners on the Athens Stock Exchange; 17 issues finished unchanged.

Commodities and currency markets recorded modest moves during the session. Gold futures for June delivery eased 0.12% or 5.81 to $4,747.19 a troy ounce. In energy markets, crude oil for June delivery rose 0.42% or 0.39 to $93.35 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract gained 0.85% or 0.87 to trade at $102.78 a barrel.

In foreign exchange trading, the euro held steady against major peers. EUR/USD was effectively unchanged, moving 0.05% to 1.17, while EUR/GBP registered no material change, at 0.87. The US Dollar Index futures were down 0.02% at 98.39.

The session highlighted a mix of single-stock strength and weakness alongside modest commodity and currency shifts. Athens Water stood out by reaching a five-year peak in its share price, while Austriacard showed one of the largest percentage gains among index constituents. At the same time, several names posted declines, reflecting uneven returns across the exchange.


Market snapshot

  • Athens General Composite: +0.23% at close
  • Advancers vs Decliners: 60 vs 52; 17 unchanged
  • Notable gainers: Austriacard Holdings AG (AT:ACAGr), Athens Water (AT:EYDr), Thessaloniki Water and Sewage Co SA (AT:TWSr)
  • Notable laggards: Cenergy Holdings SA (AT:CENEr), Interlife General Insurance Company SA (AT:INLIFr), Alpha Bank SA (AT:ACBr)

Risks

  • Narrow advance - The headline gain of 0.23% was accompanied by a close split in advancing and declining issues (60 vs 52), indicating the rally was not broadly uniform across all sectors.
  • Company-specific weakness - Declines in names such as Cenergy Holdings SA, Interlife General Insurance Company SA and Alpha Bank SA may introduce volatility for shareholders of those individual companies.
  • Commodity and currency volatility - Moves in crude oil, Brent and gold futures, along with small FX shifts, could contribute to short-term uncertainty in market sentiment.

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