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Stock Markets March 23, 2026

Athens Stocks Rise as Banking, Construction and Travel Drive Gains

Athens General Composite climbs 1.78% as select lenders and contractors lead advances; commodities and FX move lower

By Caleb Monroe
Athens Stocks Rise as Banking, Construction and Travel Drive Gains

Greece's equity market closed higher on Monday, with the Athens General Composite up 1.78% as gains in Banking, Construction and Travel sectors pushed the index upward. Alpha Bank, Intralot and Gek Terna were among the session's top performers, while Motor Oil Hellas, Qualco Group and HELLENiQ ENERGY were the largest decliners. Commodities and currency benchmarks also moved notably during the session.

Key Points

  • Athens General Composite closed up 1.78% led by gains in Banking, Construction and Travel sectors.
  • Top performers included Alpha Bank (AT:ACBr), Intralot (AT:BYLOTr) and Gek Terna (AT:HRMr); largest decliners were Motor Oil Hellas (AT:MORr), Qualco Group (AT:QLCOr) and HELLENiQ ENERGY (AT:HEPr).
  • Commodities moved sharply lower: June gold futures fell to $4,435.66/oz; May crude traded at $88.62/bbl and June Brent at $96.41/bbl; FX and the US Dollar Index also registered declines.

Market close overview

Greece's stock market finished higher on Monday, supported by sector-level strength in Banking, Construction and Travel. At the close in Athens the Athens General Composite rose 1.78%.

Top gainers and laggards

  • Alpha Bank SA (AT:ACBr) led the advance among large movers, rising 5.34% - a gain of 0.17 points - to close at 3.26.
  • Intralot Integrated Lottery Systems and Services SA (AT:BYLOTr) added 4.91% or 0.04 points to finish at 0.90.
  • Gek Terna (AT:HRMr) climbed 4.27%, up 1.44 points, to end the session at 35.16.
  • Motor Oil Hellas Corinth Refineries SA (AT:MORr) was the weakest name of the day, slipping 3.63% or 1.42 points to close at 37.70.
  • Qualco Group SA (AT:QLCOr) declined 3.11%, down 0.19 points, to end at 5.91.
  • HELLENiQ ENERGY Holdings SA (AT:HEPr) fell 2.91% or 0.29 points to finish at 9.69.

Breadth and participation

Rising issues outnumbered decliners on the Athens Stock Exchange by 72 to 46, while 10 stocks finished unchanged.

Commodities and energy

Gold Futures for June delivery declined 3.77% - a drop of 173.94 - to settle at $4,435.66 a troy ounce. In oil markets, the contract for crude oil delivery in May fell 9.78% or 9.61 to reach $88.62 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract slid 9.40% or 10.00 to trade at $96.41 a barrel.

Foreign exchange and indexes

EUR/USD was unchanged at 0.24% to 1.16, while EUR/GBP was unchanged at 0.30% to 0.86. The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.44% at 99.02.

Investment note included in session commentary

AI computing powers and portfolio strategies were referenced in session commentary, noting year-to-date performance figures: 2 out of 3 global portfolios are beating their benchmark indexes, with 88% in the green. The commentary cited a flagship Tech Titans strategy that doubled the S&P 500 within 18 months and highlighted winners such as Super Micro Computer (+185%) and AppLovin (+157%).

Concluding summary

The Athens market closed the day higher, with clear leadership from banking, construction and travel-related names. Commodity prices and certain currency measures moved lower, while market breadth favored advancing issues.

Risks

  • Commodity price swings - sharp declines in crude oil and Brent may affect energy sector profitability and investor sentiment in energy-related stocks.
  • Sector concentration - gains concentrated in Banking, Construction and Travel could leave the market vulnerable if leadership shifts or those sectors face renewed pressures.
  • Market breadth uncertainty - while advancers outnumbered decliners 72 to 46, 10 stocks were unchanged, indicating pockets of limited participation that could increase volatility.

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