Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-09-06

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Strong earthquake south of Skyros recorded

[02] Athens Stock Exchange opening: unsettled, edgy trade

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

[04] Weather Forecast: Cloud, rain on Friday

[01] Strong earthquake south of Skyros recorded

A strong earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale took place at 1:19 on Friday morning, the Geodynamical Institute at the Athens Observatory announced.

The epicentre of the quake was located in the sea south of Skyros and north of Evia, some 120 kilometres northeast of Athens.

The quake was also picked up by the Patras Geodynamic Institute, at a lower intensity of 4.5 on the Richter scale, which said its epicentre was east of Athens.

[02] Athens Stock Exchange opening: unsettled, edgy trade

Equities were unstable in nervous, edgy trade at the opening of the session Friday on the Athens Stock Exchange, with the bourse again infected by the trends in foreign markets.

After a series of fluctuations, the general share price index had posted marginal losses of 0.08 per cent 15 minutes after trade opened, standing at 2,062.29 points, with turnover at 3.3 million euros.

Individual sector indices were mixed, with the biggest gains in Publishing, up 0.33 per cent, and the biggest losses in Holding, down 0.64 per cent.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was down 0.06 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was down 0.19 percent, and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index was down 0.05 percent.

Of the stocks moved, 72 were up, 80 were down and 54 were unchanged.

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.005

Pound sterling 0.640

Danish kroner 7.486

Swedish kroner 9.369

Japanese yen 118.2

Swiss franc 1.469

Norwegian kroner 7.440

Cyprus pound 0.577

Canadian dollar 1.581

Australian dollar 1.846

[04] Weather Forecast: Cloud, rain on Friday

Scattered cloud is forecast in all parts of the country, with showers or isolated storms, especially from late afternoon. Winds variable, light to moderate. On the mainland, temperatures will range from 15C to 29C; and in the islands also from 20C to 28C. Temperatures in Athens between 19C and 29C; and in Thessaloniki from 19C to 28C.

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