Athens Stock Exchange Opens with a 0.20% Drop – European Shares Decline

The Athens Stock Exchange recorded a minor drop at the start of today’s session (March 7, 2025), amid a downward trend in European markets. Specifically, the General Index is shaping up at 1,622.30 points, marking a decline of 0.20%, while trading value reaches €14.57 million. The high-capitalization index shows a decrease of 0.22%, and the medium-capitalization index declines by 0.66%. Among the high-capitalization shares, the largest gains are recorded by Sarantis (+1.80%), Optima (+0.96%), and Alpha Bank (+0.69%). Conversely, the sharpest drops are seen in Aegean (-1.64%), Aktor (-1.14%), and OTE (-1.05%) shares. Overall, 29 stocks rose, 43 fell, and 14 remained stable. Notably, Sarantis (+2.78%) and Dromeas (+2.56%) showed the highest increases, while Akritas (-4.05%) and ADMIE (-3.04%) experienced the steepest declines. European markets opened lower today as frequent shifts in U.S. trade policy this week have instilled a risk-off sentiment among investors. The pan-European STOXX 600 index dropped by 0.7% at 10:17 am Greek time, heading towards breaking its 10-week upward streak. Luxury goods company shares pressured the benchmark index, with Richemont falling by 4.1%, Burberry by 4%, and Kering by 2.6%. Retail company shares declined by 1.3%. Attention remains on U.S. employment data to be released later today and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s speech, which could provide insights into monetary policy prospects for the world’s largest economy.