The stock exchanges of Greece and Spain, countries at the heart of the eurozone debt crisis earlier this year, were among the best performers in their peer group during July - a welcome boost to two of the regions most embattled financial markets.

Shares in the Hellenic Exchanges group, which operates the Athens Stock Exchange, jumped 35.6% during July on the previous month, while Bolsas y Mercados Espanoles, the Spanish exchange group, saw its stock rise by 17.6%, according to UK consultancy Mondo Visione.