Economy
General government primary cash surplus substantially widens to 5.3 bln by September, arrears edge down to 6.2 bln
Greece’s general government (gg) primary cash surplus notably widened by 2.89 billion to 5.33 billion in the 9-month period of 2016 from 2.44 billion a year ago, the Finance Ministry (MoF) gg bulletin displayed on Wednesday.
Office prices edge up 0.2 pct in H1, retail prices drop 0.8 pct
The office prices in Greece edged up 0.2 percent in the first half (H1) of 2016 after a marginal rise of 0.1 percent in H2 2015, Bank of Greece (BoG) data showed on Tuesday.
World Bank sets out savings Greece can make from streamlining welfare benefits
The funding of the guaranteed minimum income (GMI) emerged as one of the most contentious issues in the first round of discussions on the second programme review between the Greek government and the institutions’ mission chiefs.
Alpha and NBG complete sales of hotels
Two of the four core Greek banks, Alpha and NBG, announced the completion of the sale of their hotel subsidiaries at the end of last week. Both transactions are part of the banks’ restructuring plans, which include, among others, disposal of non-core assets.
PMI falls again in October amid ongoing drop in output and new orders
Greece’s Manufacturing PMI edged down for the second straight month in October, when it fell by 0.6 points, after a drop of 1.2 points in September, Markit’s survey showed on Tuesday.
Report reveals institutions’ views on labour market reforms
The quarterly report of the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) published on Monday revealed the key points that the institutions are focussing on as part of the negotiations on labour market reforms.
Parliament's budget office sees obstacles to recovery, warns on private debt
In its quarterly report published on Monday, the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) notes that the macroeconomic developments in Greece in the third quarter (Q3) sent mixed signals.
Retail sales fall by 3.1 pct in Aug after fleeting rebound in July
The turnover of Greece’s retail trade index fell by 3.1 percent in August, after a rise of 7.1 percent in July attributed to a low base effect, Hellenic Statistical Agency (ELSTAT) figures showed on Monday.
New overdue taxes jump by 1.35 bln in Sept, driving total stock to 92.8 bln
Greece’s new tax debt rose by 1.35 billion euros in September after increasing by 1.37 billion in August, according to data published by the General Secretariat of Public Revenues (GSPR).
Some progress in first round of talks but most second review issues remain unresolved
Following the first round of discussions on the second programme review, which began on October 21 and concluded last Thursday, Finance Ministry sources claimed significant progress was made on most issues.