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Friday, 03 February 2017

Bank association: Deposits up in 2016; 116.1 bln€ withdrawn over previous 7-month period

The Hellenic Bank Association (HBA) on Friday reported an increase in Greek bank deposits last year by 4.2 billion euros, although the yearly gain paled before losses in the previous…

Tsipras at EU Summit: We’re seeing more Turkish provocations, military activity in the Aegean of late

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Friday used the informal EU summit in Malta as a platform to warn of “increased provocations and military activity in the Aegean by Turkey”,…

Sector study: Greek banks’ assets down from 358.1 bln€ in 2008 to 312.4 bln€ in 2016

The Hellenic Banking Association (HBA) on Friday released an extensive study focusing on Greece’s crisis-battered banking sector, a year and a half after capital controls were first imposed in the…

Voutsis: Govt, FinMin on same side; no issue of snap election, review will be concluded

By M. Papaconstantinou Parliament President Nikos Voutsis told “N” this week that there is no “difference of opinion” between the leftist SYRIZA-led government coalition and increasingly embattled Finance Minister Euclid…

ND: Leftist govt sold-off rail operator for price of taxi app

A battle of “communiqués” erupted late this week between the leftist government and the center-right main opposition, with the latter on Friday charging that it was Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras…

Thursday, 02 February 2017

PWC: Privatizations in Greece after 2011 valued at 3.4 bln€

A report this week by PWC calculates revenue from privatizations in Greece, between 2011 to 2016, at a paltry 3.4 billion euros, with the best years being 2011 (1.16 billion…

JP Morgan forecasts eventual deal with creditors; Credit Suisse cites 5 scenarios for latest mini ‘Greek saga’

The Hellenic Federation of Enterprises’ (SEV) weekly bulletin warned of a continuing decrease in incomes with a simultaneous increase in consumption in Greece, saying this is a major risk to…

Greek FinMin confirms: One-third of delayed review remains unresolved

Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos on Thursday confirmed that “only one-third” of a deal to conclude a delayed second review of the Greek program remains to be resolved, via negotiations,…

Commission spox: No date for return of creditors’ reps to Athens

Beyond conveying the European Commission’s best wishes for a conclusion of the delayed second review of the Greek program as soon as possible, a spokeswoman in Brussels on Thursday told…

Turkish FM calls on Greek DM to ‘come to his senses’; again points to ‘dialogue’ over sovereignty issue

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Thursday kept up the recent verbal flare-up between Athens and Ankara over two rocky islets in the eastern Aegean in the headlines, calling on…

Energean turns to TechnipFMC for technical facilities to develop 2 Israeli natgas deposits

Energean & Oil Gas this week announced that it has contracted with TechnipFMC for the design of installations to develop the Israeli off-shore natural gas deposits “Karish” and “Tanin”.  …

Speculation over rift between Greek FinMin, govt leadership

Refusal by the Greek Parliament’s president, Nikos Voutsis, on Wednesday evening to allow Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos to respond to criticism against him by the main opposition leader sparked heightened…

PWC study points to significant ‘de-investment’ in Greece since 2008

By G. Sakkas [email protected] Investments of all types in Greece over 2016 fell to 13 percent of GDP, significantly down from the average of 24 percent recorded during the “boom…

Another two VLCC added to Olympic Shipping fleet

Another two VLCC tankers are being added to the Olympic Shipping fleet, the company owned by the Onassis Foundation. The two massive tankers were previously managed by Metrostar Management, owned…

Wednesday, 01 February 2017

Latest electricity auction witnesses higher bid prices

The first NOME electricity auctions of the year in Greece were held on Tuesday at a hectic pace, with the final price closing at just over 41 euros per Megawatt,…

Tsipras in Parliament: IMF’s demands unreasonable; review will conclude without capitulation

A Parliament debate on Wednesday over bank loans to political parties and mass media quickly deviated into the now burning issue of the delayed second review of the Greek program…

Committee head: Any change in shipping sector framework will negatively affect EU’s economy

The head of the Greek Shipping Cooperation Committee in London, better known as simply the “Committee”, this week again warned that any change in the shipping sector’s institutional framework will…

More business closures than openings in Jan. 2017; rate improved from corresponding month in 2016

By S. Zisimos [email protected] The first results over January 2017 are negative in terms of business openings and closings, with the latter exceeding the former. Specifically, figures supplied by the…

Warplane violations over Imia islets after DM’s laying of wreath

Another round of tension was reported on Wednesday in the air over a specific region in the eastern Aegean that nearly caused a military flare-up between Greece and Turkey —…

Tsipras-Merkel phone contacts ahead of chancellor’s visit to Turkey

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras held a scheduled phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday, a day before the German leader is set to officially visit Turkey. According…

ESM’s Regling to EuroParliament: Greece a ‘special case’

European Stability Mechanism (ESM) managing director Klaus Regling on Wednesday again referred to the delay-fraught Greek adjustment program, saying Greece was a “special case”, during his comments before a relevant…

ESM’s Regling to EuroParliament: Greece a ‘special case’

European Stability Mechanism (ESM) managing director Klaus Regling on Wednesday again referred to the delay-fraught Greek adjustment program, saying Greece was a “special case”, during his comments before a relevant…

1,000€ fine for stores without sign on e-transactions; list with occupations requiring POS terminal pending

A newly passed legal provision obliges store owners to place a sign in a visible location near their cash registers in order to inform consumers whether or not they are…

Athens court rules in favor of continued short-term detention for 8 Turkish servicemen who requested asylum

An administrative first instance court in Athens on Wednesday ruled that the continued detention of eight Turkish servicemen, who have requested asylum in the country, is legal, essentially approving of…

Reports point to major disagreements by IMF over Greek program forecast, figures and policy

By T. Tsiros [email protected] A closely watched IMF executive board meeting on Feb. 6 — set to focus directly on the Greek program — will reportedly reveal the very public…

30 arrested at street racing site

Thirty people, mostly young men, were arrested by police overnight in the wake of a melee that broke out on a stretch of coastal highway south of Athens known for…

HSBC sees signs for completion of 2nd review this month; no QE inclusion at least until summer

HSBC refers to positive signs at the recent Jan. 27 Eurogroup that Athens could conclude a now delayed second review of the Greek program at the coming Eurogroup meeting on…

Tuesday, 31 January 2017

Govt eyes more expansive property and assets tax to replace current framework

By G. Palaitsakis  [email protected] The government this week unveiled a proposal to replace the current property tax with a more expansive “asset tax”, which will ostensibly include all real estate…

Tsipras govt bristles over Bloomberg report; says unresolved issues with creditors will be solved with ‘political decision’

Government circles reacted curtly on Tuesday evening to a previous day’s report by Bloomberg claiming that two-thirds of prior actions demanded by Athens to conclude the now delayed second review…

ND retains double-digit lead in latest poll; 2 to 1 margin in favor of euro over nat’l currency

A latest opinion poll surveying the Greek political scene, released on Tuesday evening, again shows a double-digit lead for the main opposition New Democracy (ND) party over ruling SYRIZA, although…