Theodorikakos “freezes” lifetime insurance contract increases, changes in Public Sector disciplinary procedures, and challenges for gas stations

Hello, successful the last enactment of Kostas Simitis’ farewell, what happened was precisely what had been evident from the infinitesimal his decease was announced. Those people, chiefly politicians, who made the statements they “had to make” were contiguous astatine his ceremonial yesterday. As for the rest, they simply didn’t attend, making it crystal wide who they are and what they politically represent. I americium referring chiefly to 3 erstwhile premier ministers—George Papandreou, Kostas Karamanlis, and Antonis Samaras—who surely didn’t… radiance done their absence. Instead, they simply reminded everyone of the pettiness, the deficiency of governmental ethos, and organization decency that characterizes them. Even Tsipras would person gone—despite claiming to beryllium ill, a assertion nary 1 has a crushed to uncertainty since helium did be Konstantinos Mitsotakis’ funeral. By far, K.M. stole the amusement yesterday, not conscionable due to the fact that helium attended and spoke astatine the funeral, but because—if lone owed to his position—his code was 1 of the astir talked-about.

Meeting astir the disgrace of the security companies – What volition beryllium announced today

Moving connected to existent affairs: yesterday afternoon, K.M. chaired a gathering regarding the outrageous concern unfolding with security companies successful the market. They’ve been imposing insane increases and attempting to destruct definite contracts (mainly beingness security contracts) due to the fact that they are nary longer profitable for them, leaving loyal semipermanent clients unprotected. Attending the gathering were applicable ministers Theodorikakos, Georgiadis, and Hatzidakis; the fiscal overseer Stournaras; the President of the Competition Commission Sarpi; arsenic good arsenic Skertsos, Marinakis, and Mylonakis from the Prime Minister’s office. This morning, Minister Theodorikakos, responding to a related question by Milena Apostolaki successful Parliament, volition denote the abolition of the IOBE index, which annually adjusts the prices of beingness security contracts. For example, successful 2024, the summation these contracts would person seen was astir 15%, but this volition nary longer happen. Under the caller regulation, a caller scale volition beryllium created by ELSTAT, which volition bespeak the yearly ostentation complaint of backstage wellness services. These details were confirmed a abbreviated portion agone erstwhile Mr. Theodorikakos made the authoritative announcements.

Major betterment successful Public Sector disciplinary procedures

Today’s Cabinet gathering has respective items connected the agenda. One peculiarly absorbing point is the measure being presented by the Minister of Interior, Theodoros Livanios, and Deputy Minister Vivi Charalampogianni, for the overhaul of disciplinary procedures successful the Public Sector. Currently, determination are implicit 90 superior disciplinary boards, on with the secondary one, and thousands of cases pending review. Under the caller law, a single, unified disciplinary committee volition beryllium created, staffed by members of the State Legal Council—50 successful full erstwhile afloat operational. I’m told the caller disciplinary committee volition beryllium functional by the extremity of the year, ensuring that members of the State Legal Council and judges who presently presumption these boards arsenic broadside enactment tin dedicate themselves afloat to them. The caller assemblage volition diagnostic three-member oregon five-member panels, and the State Legal Council members progressive volition person fixed terms.

Today’s measure connected the superior market

Also successful today’s Cabinet meeting, K. Hatzidakis volition contiguous the measure to fortify the superior market. Attention is people focused connected measures related to slope fees, which are expected to beryllium included successful the bill, arsenic good arsenic immoderate imaginable taxation measures oregon incentives—though it seems we shouldn’t expect immoderate breathtaking surprises successful that regard. Several method matters (regulations, etc.) are being addressed. Among different provisions, the measure grants publically listed companies the enactment of voluntarily transferring from the Main Market to the Alternative Market to debar delistings nether caller liquidity and dispersion rules. The details request to beryllium reviewed thoroughly, arsenic the provisions screen the full marketplace spectrum (Stock Exchange, oversight, organization investors, brokers, etc.), arsenic good arsenic caller areas specified arsenic cryptocurrency oversight. Naturally, it volition see measures that person mostly flown nether the radar. Additionally, the measure incorporates provisions projected by the Capital Market Commission to align with European oregon planetary champion practices, specified arsenic mechanisms for liquidity absorption successful communal funds, enigma buying measures, ESG certification standards, and more.

Aoun and Greece

Yesterday, Joseph Aoun, the erstwhile caput of Lebanon’s Armed Forces, assumed the presidency of Lebanon with the backing of the United States. A root from Maximos Mansion reminded maine that Aoun had antecedently met Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who was the archetypal Western person to sojourn Lebanon aft the Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire. He besides had a one-on-one gathering with the Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff, Dimitris Choupos. Government officials see the caller president to beryllium a “player” and 1 of the astir reliable figures successful this troubled country, with Greece already having an unfastened enactment of connection with him. The European Union besides rushed to invited his election.

What Piraeus Bank Said astatine Citi’s Roadshow

Executives from Piraeus Bank, specifically General Director of Business Planning Chrysanthi Berbati and Head of Investor Relations Xenophon Damalas, met with large concern firms yesterday during Citi’s two-day (January 7-8) roadshow successful London. Among the attendees were Fidelity, Citigroup, Prudential, Aviva, and Wexford Capital. During their back-to-back meetings, they presented the bank’s 2024 closeout and 2025 prospects. According to information, the slope finished beardown successful the 4th fourth of 2024, with indebtedness disbursements pushing the full indebtedness portfolio supra the €33 cardinal target, portion deposits showed beardown momentum acknowledgment to economical growth. Additionally, the NPE ratio dropped beneath 3%, and superior requirements for Pillar 2 stood astatine 2.90%. The €1 cardinal profitability people was achieved contempt one-off expenses successful Q4, including costs for voluntary exit programs, NPE reduction, and the €25 cardinal outgo Piraeus Bank contributed to the schoolhouse enactment programme undertaken by the 4 systemic banks. The RoTBV people of 17% for 2024 remained unchanged, portion the organisation of 35% of profits arsenic dividends corresponds to a 7% yield. Guidance for 2025 aligns with erstwhile projections, with further updates expected connected February 24 during the 2024 results announcement and the updated concern program presentation.

Waste Management successful Corfu Goes to GEK TERNA-Mediterranean Consortium

The GEK TERNA radical is expanding its already extended discarded absorption portfolio. According to sources, successful a consortium with Mediterranean, it is undertaking the task for Corfu’s discarded processing plant, with a fund of €34 cardinal (which could emergence to €71.6 cardinal with an optional extension). The task includes the operation of a Waste Processing Unit (WPU) with a full capableness of 35,000 tons. The declaration is expected to beryllium signed wrong the adjacent six months, allowing the land to soon permission down the disgraceful scenes of garbage mountains that erstwhile made planetary headlines. Corfu could already person had a discarded absorption portion if SYRIZA, soon aft its predetermination victory, hadn’t canceled the tender approved successful 2013 nether the ND-PASOK-DIMAR government. In immoderate case, the contented present seems to beryllium resolved, with GEK TERNA adding different WPU project. The radical has already secured 2 large PPP contracts worthy astir €450 cardinal successful Central Macedonia, manages the Epirus WPU, and oversees the largest discarded absorption PPP task successful the country, successful the Peloponnese region. It’s worthy noting that the discarded absorption activities antecedently handled by TERNA Energy were excluded from the statement with Masdar and person been transferred to GEK TERNA.

Goldman Sachs’ Frosty Outlook connected Earnings Per Share

The Goldman Sachs study connected emerging markets, including Greece, released yesterday by NewMoney, turned retired to beryllium an unpleasant surprise. Analysts from the concern elephantine reiterated their November forecast that successful 2025 the General Index volition not outperform, settling astir 1,475 points. This contrarian presumption stirred discussions successful the market, peculiarly since astir firms are optimistic astir the Greek banal marketplace this year. The timing of this forecast besides raised eyebrows. One mentation is that Goldman Sachs aligns with those who judge European and emerging marketplace assets volition underperform owed to Trump’s election. However, GS hasn’t afloat sided with Trump’s campy frankincense far. Those who delved deeper into the study noticed thing arsenic concerning: the projection that net per stock (EPS) of listed companies volition driblet by 4% this year, contrary to the statement among analysts, who had expected level EPS astatine worst. GS has been described arsenic “particularly conservative” regarding Greece. Still, caution is advised for this year, arsenic these estimates travel from fiscal analysts, not fortune-tellers. Let’s not hide that during the 2008 crisis, Goldman Sachs passed its sins onto its clients to prevention itself.

Titan America Revving Up for Wall Street Listing

The Titan Group’s absorption is present moving up with plans to rise $600 cardinal and interval 25% of Titan America shares connected the New York Stock Exchange, targeting the archetypal fractional of February. Citigroup and Goldman Sachs person been tasked with handling the listing of the American subsidiary connected Wall Street. These moves suggest Titan America’s valuation volition transcend $2 billion, though overmuch volition beryllium connected marketplace reactions to the archetypal authorities initiatives announced by Donald Trump.

Financial Struggles for Gas Stations

Many substance stations, particularly those burdened with rent and mostly precocious operating expenses, cannot prolong operations with a nett net borderline of conscionable 0.2%. The authorities appears to person decided to widen the nett borderline headdress announced during the pandemic until April 2025. A caller survey by IOBE and an probe by the Competition Commission revealed that existent nett margins, combined with rising wages, earthy worldly costs, rents, and different factors, render morganatic state stations unsustainable. This concern creates an opening for illicit operators, enticing presumption owners toward substance adulteration, tampered pumps, and different amerciable practices. Therefore, it’s deemed indispensable to differentiate nett borderline caps by manufacture assemblage (e.g., food, fuel, etc.).

Banking Days astatine the Stock Exchange

With a instrumentality of implicit +6% successful the archetypal sessions of 2025, the Banking Index connected the Athens Stock Exchange offers by acold the highest show successful the Eurozone, astir 3 times the mean of banking indices crossed Europe. Numerous placements and regulatory commitments had kept the banking assemblage somewhat down successful presumption of returns. However, this year, dividend yields volition beryllium importantly higher, and the profitability prospects of the assemblage are overmuch clearer. Notably, successful the past 3 trading sessions, implicit 50% of the market’s full turnover was attributed to the shares of the 4 systemic banks. For instance, yesterday, a full of 32.1 cardinal shares were traded connected the Stock Exchange, of which 24.56 cardinal progressive Alpha Bank, Piraeus Bank, National Bank, and Eurobank.

Against the Tide

AKTOR’s capitalization (formerly Intrakat) reached €783.2 cardinal arsenic its stock terms closed astatine €4.82 yesterday, rising by +1.47%, contempt the ongoing superior increase. The stock terms for the summation has been acceptable astatine €4.6. All indications suggest that Masdar’s nationalist connection for TERNA Energy volition officially reason successfully. This means TERNA Energy volition soon exit the FTSE25 Index, paving the mode for AKTOR, which aspires to pull the involvement of large concern portfolios.

The Virus of Optimism astatine the Stock Market

Bank shares enactment arsenic custodians of the affirmative momentum portion leaving country for different stocks to payment from the question of optimism presently blowing done our superior market. Shares similar ElvalHalkor (+3.23% astatine €2.235), ADMIE (+3.51% astatine €2.8), Intracom (+5.31% astatine €3.1750), Plastics of Thrace (+5.76% astatine €4.22), and Fourlis (+2.43% astatine €4.22) seized the accidental to show their dynamism with important trading enactment yesterday. With the assistance of OTE and Coca-Cola, the General Index closed the league adjacent the day’s precocious astatine 1,510.93 points, up +0.3%. Despite the lack of American investors mourning the passing of Jimmy Carter, the transaction worth reached €146.61 million, of which €17.5 cardinal were successful artifact trades. Today, the marketplace seems to clasp strength, and arsenic a broadside note, enactment that the assets nether absorption of communal funds person surpassed €22 billion, with nett inflows of €4.9 cardinal successful 2024.

Prices astatine the Supermarket

It whitethorn not wholly align with the wide temper of gloom and poorness cultivated by definite nationalist figures, but the information is that supermarket prices person shown a wide downward inclination implicit the past 7 months. As revealed by the probe of the Retail Consumer Goods Research Institute (IELKA), the caller enactment of the Ministry of Development has tightened the regulatory model (e.g., the prohibition of promotional activities during terms increases, instrumentality 6969/2024) and accrued inspections and fines. Additionally, successful October, a voluntary inaugural to trim prices connected circumstantial products was launched. The information that offers and discounts person accrued successful organized retail suggests that these interventions are so yielding results.

Yanis (with 1 “n”) Who Goes with Everything

A fewer weeks ago, a well-known YouTuber named Coffeezilla published investigative videos exposing Valve’s role. Valve is present a elephantine successful the tract of physics games (gaming, streaming, and e-sports), with a subsidiary institution called Counter-Strike Casino. This full mechanics fuels a monolithic gambling industry—primarily targeting underage players—worth implicit $6 cardinal successful gross crippled gross (GGR). This manufacture tin wage YouTube influencers much than fractional a cardinal dollars a period successful advertizing contracts! Operating without regulation, Valve has publically committed since 2016 to self-regulate its ecosystem. However, it’s successful nary hurry, arsenic the stored worth of skins contiguous is estimated astatine $2 to $3 billion. If property restrictions were imposed connected players, this worth would drastically decrease, if not vanish entirely.

The Greek involvement successful this lawsuit lies successful the information that—while researching Valve’s history—it emerged that for immoderate clip (starting successful 2012), and earlier Valve launched the gambling diagnostic for skins successful 2013 (which spiked addiction to gaming), the company’s main economist was nary different than our acquainted Yanis Varoufakis. What does a main economist bash successful an online gaming company? Games similar Counter-Strike person in-game economies fueled by existent money. Players tin wage for in-game items specified arsenic caller weapons oregon adjacent outfits. However, Valve’s games often let players to commercialized items with 1 another, meaning an system is created wherever users acceptable their ain resale values for virtual items.

Buying a Home Becomes a Distant Dream successful the U.S.

The famed American Dream hinges connected owning a imperishable residence. This imagination has been slipping distant for rather immoderate time. Mortgage rates successful the U.S. person present reached 7%, with nary expectations of easing contempt the intentions of the Federal Reserve. A young mates trying to participate the lodging marketplace contiguous faces a daunting upland of debt.

The mean complaint for a 30-year fixed owe roseate to 6.91% connected January 2, up from 6.85% the erstwhile week, according to Freddie Mac data. The Mortgage Bankers Association reported an 8-basis-point summation to 6.97% for location loans, the highest complaint successful the past six months. The precocious outgo of borrowing makes accessing loans much hard portion simultaneously putting unit connected demand.