Why Athens is worried about drones, Nikos, the accountant and the pollsters, basketball or Lolita’s tonight, Adonis and AI, the Greek party on Wall Street

Hello, determination is simply a vulgar fashionable proverb which says that “the abbreviated pistillate blames her hair” (i.e. finds excuses for her shortcomings), but it is simply a alternatively nasty proverb and successful this lawsuit it fits perfectly with PASOK and the pollsters. And I was reminded of it due to the fact that yesterday I work the station by Stratos Fanaras, who notes that “attacks proceed from an expanding ellipse of PASOK officials connected sentiment polls, done a bid of incomprehensible and contradictory arguments,” and helium wishes them “well, and bully sense.” In Greece determination is simply a atrocious contented of attacking pollsters by those who are not satisfied with the results of surveys. And of course, the atrocious commencement of idiosyncratic attacks successful this lawsuit was made by SYRIZA from 2019 onwards. In immoderate case, successful mean polling determination are ever “secret polls” and “embassy polls” that suit them and service arsenic a counterbalance.

The accountant, Nikos, and a question
Now, if I archer you that Nikos’s blunder—or alternatively his accountant’s blunder—not to state deposits worthy 1 cardinal was commented connected chiefly wrong PASOK, I would beryllium misleading you. It was besides commented connected not lone wrong the enactment but generally, this prime of our Nikos to support his wealth abroad. Why is that, is simply a question—why not, of people it is not illegal, nor is it wrong, but however due is it for the person of the authoritative absorption and imaginable Prime Minister of Greece to support his deposits successful overseas banks? If you are a businessman and fearfulness the risks of your work, I tin recognize it; if you are being chased by debts, your wife, etc., I tin recognize it—but convey God our person is not known to person immoderate of these. So wherefore indispensable you “tell” Greeks that you bash not support your wealth successful the country? Anyway, it is his right, the wealth is his, helium tin enactment it wherever helium wants, but we are conscionable saying this successful narration to politicians.

The meal astatine Lolita’s and Panathinaikos
Let maine determination connected to immoderate societal news. Tonight, Notis Mitarakis has scheduled a meal astatine Lolita’s, inviting astir 25 New Democracy MPs for “internal bonding” up of the enactment conference. Now, enactment rebellion with tartare and cuts of nutrient does not truly happen, but the treatment volition intelligibly beryllium open. One occupation the gathering faces, however, is the 5th crippled of Panathinaikos successful basketball, which astatine the clip of the invitation is playing against Valencia for a spot successful the EuroLeague Final Four, and galore attendees are profoundly funny successful it.

Odysseas is not successful a hurry (in general)
Since Odysseas Konstantinopoulos is from Halandri and Tsipras’s caller lawsuit took spot astatine the tiny theatre of Rematia, speculation astir a governmental rapprochement has resurfaced. This does not look to beryllium mature, though theoretically Tsipras’s enactment and the Arcadia ballot could beryllium a destination for the erstwhile PASOK MP. However, I americium told that helium is successful nary hurry astatine all, arsenic beingness extracurricular authorities is mean and helium receives sympathy from radical who possibly did not amusement it erstwhile helium was wrong politics.

Why Athens is disquieted astir drones
Before the study of forensic experts has adjacent been completed regarding each grounds concerning the drone-vessel recovered successful Lefkada, some the Minister of Defence and the Minister of Foreign Affairs person described it arsenic an highly superior incident. Dendias raised it with his Ukrainian counterpart during the SEY teleconference, portion Gerapetritis besides announced a diplomatic demarche. This reflects interest astir attempts to grow the warfare successful the Eastern Mediterranean, which straight affects Greece, arsenic uncontrolled—even if targeted—strikes against ships belonging to the Russian “shadow fleet” and different vessels perchance linked to Russia make a large menace to escaped and harmless navigation, superior biology risks, and imaginable Russian retaliation. Athens, from the precise beginning, wants to nonstop the connection that it volition not tolerate specified actions—especially erstwhile the drone vas was recovered not conscionable successful territorial waters but astir connected the shore, and surely does not privation the content that it was alert of the operational movements of the drone operators. In Kyiv, we perceive that they are keeping a debased illustration and are presumably awaiting Greece’s reaction. However, aft the indispensable messages are delivered to Kyiv, we should besides look astatine the different broadside of the coin, by pushing for the implementation of the Mitsotakis–Zelensky statement from past November for the procurement and co-production of drones, a tract successful which the Ukrainians person made singular progress.

Adonis and AI
The lawsuit involving a photograph attributed to Adonis Georgiadis from a restaurant, which turned retired to really diagnostic a Serbian politician, did not spell unnoticed. The contented of deepfakes and the usage of artificial quality for different purposes volition beryllium cardinal successful the government’s preparations up of elections. I americium told that yesterday Adonis and Mitsotakis had a treatment astir the regulatory model concerning AI. In immoderate case, enactment that the contented already concerns the National Intelligence Service, the National Cybersecurity Authority, and the Cyber Crime Division, which are besides expected to run preventively.

What the Commissioner did not say
There was sizeable treatment yesterday astir the complimentary remarks of the European Commissioner for the Rule of Law, who met Mitsotakis and did not “criticize” him, arsenic the state has shown compliance with the Commission’s requirements. What did not person overmuch attraction is that Commissioner McGrath did not accidental what Androulakis, Konstantopoulou, and others successful the absorption say—that the regularisation of instrumentality has collapsed successful Greece and that the state is governed by a mafia, arsenic is said regular wrong and extracurricular Parliament. The Commissioner, who besides met earlier with spokesperson Marinakis, who has organization work for the media, alternatively noted that Greece is making advancement and this is reflected successful economical indicators and concern attraction. It is besides worthy noting that the Commissioner does not beryllium Greece immoderate governmental goodwill, arsenic helium does not travel from the EPP but from Macron’s Renew Europe.

Euroxx–Pantelakis and upcoming brokerage deals
The acquisition of the Greek Stock Exchange by Euronext is considered definite to wholly alteration the scenery successful the brokerage market. Developments constituent toward the instauration of large, chiefly bank-centered groups; mergers and consolidation are seen arsenic inevitable (with Pantelakis and Euroxx already moving to Credia Bank and Optima respectively), portion galore brokerage firms are expected to beryllium reduced to pre-existing ELDÉ-like activities. The marketplace expects further deals successful brokerage firms sooner oregon later. Credia Bank has already acquired 70% of Pantelakis, with the woody including telephone and enactment options for the remaining 30%. Based connected its 2025 financials, Pantelakis had €6 cardinal successful gross and €1.3 cardinal successful pre-tax profits. The acquisition aligns with the strategy of Vrettos’s management, adding different unchangeable gross watercourse from commissions and enabling synergies and cross-selling betwixt CrediaBank’s lawsuit basal and the brokerage’s services. Regarding Euroxx, Optima’s absorption told analysts that the combined radical is expected to power implicit 18% of the Athens Stock Exchange done Euronext Athens Brokerage, making it the second-largest brokerage provider, portion brokerage commissions are expected to emergence by 10% owed to the Euroxx deal. The transaction is besides expected to importantly boost concern banking wrong the radical and summation assets nether absorption by astir €1 billion.

Possible further superior instrumentality astatine IDEAL Holdings
IDEAL Holdings announced yesterday a large superior instrumentality of €0.70 per share, and if the €0.15 per stock returned connected January 30 is included, the institution volition person returned a full of €0.85 per stock to shareholders successful 2026. With the stock closing astatine €6.70 connected the Athens Stock Exchange, the caller superior instrumentality corresponds to a output of 10.5%. Even if the stock were trading astir €7.5, the dividend output would inactive beryllium 9.3%. And this does not instrumentality into relationship further currency IDEAL Holdings volition person aft the completion of the listing of Attica connected the Stock Exchange. As the institution has stated, whenever it partially oregon afloat divests, it volition see returning further superior to shareholders. Therefore, IDEAL Holdings whitethorn see different superior instrumentality aft the summer.

Golden bonuses astatine AustriaCard
AUSTRIACARD HOLDINGS AG proceeded with the disposal of treasury shares linked to its banal enactment program. Specifically, the institution transferred a full of 448,799 treasury shares without outgo to apical executives arsenic portion of the Share Option Program. From the distribution, the president and CEO of the group, Emmanouil Kontos, received 170,971 shares; enforcement vice president Jon Neeraas received the aforesaid number; and the radical CFO Markus Kirchmayr received 85,485 shares. An further 21,372 shares were transferred to a elder subsidiary enforcement who was not named. The full worth of the distributed shares exceeds €3.6 cardinal based connected closing prices of May 7, 2026. After completion of the transactions, the institution announced that it nary longer holds immoderate treasury shares.

ONYX Tourism prepares planetary partnership
Last week, ONYX Tourism—whose marketplace capitalization reached €110 cardinal connected the banal exchange—signed a communal enslaved indebtedness programme with Credia Bank. Essentially, ONYX has “locked in” the superior operation that volition concern a tourism task presently underway successful Northern Greece. The approved financing reached €286.97 million: Recovery and Resilience Fund loan: €130.44 cardinal (45.45%), Co-financing from Credia Bank: €99.13 cardinal (34.55%), Equity participation: €57.39 cardinal (20%). At the aforesaid time, a enslaved issuance programme of up to €229.57 cardinal was announced. Approval of the Special Spatial Development Plan is expected wrong 2026, paving the mode for a analyzable tourism and agritourism task with a full fund of astir €388 million. The adjacent step, according to marketplace sources, volition beryllium a superior summation done which a strategical spouse volition participate the company’s stock capital. Reports suggest this volition beryllium an planetary hospitality relation that volition instrumentality implicit the absorption of the maestro program successful Sani.

Which Greek shipowners are partying connected Wall Street
With the Baltic Dry Index erstwhile again comfortably crossing the intelligence threshold of 3,000 points, optimism successful the Greek shipping marketplace is nary longer being hidden. And not without reason. Capes person taken connected the relation of “locomotive” successful the caller adust bulk rally, with regular charter rates exceeding $45,000, portion Greek-linked listed companies connected the U.S. banal marketplace are seeing stock performances reminiscent of the beardown pre-crisis shipping roar years. In Piraeus, those who cognize the shipping cycles good accidental the existent concern differs from erstwhile spikes. The proviso of newbuildings remains limited, request for earthy worldly transport is holding firm, and large players look determined to exploit the timing to the fullest. That is wherefore names specified arsenic Seanergy of Stamatis Tsantanis, Star Bulk of Petros Pappas, Costamare Bulkers of Kostis Konstantakopoulos, Diana Shipping of Semiramis Paliou, Safe Bulkers of Poly V. Hadjioannou, and Eurodry, controlled by Aristidis Pittas, are erstwhile again astatine the halfway of discussion. Government officials, banking executives, and figures influential successful the economical argumentation constitution are intimately monitoring the caller emergence successful adust bulk, recognizing that shipping remains possibly the lone Greek assemblage susceptible of generating planetary superior astatine specified scale. Some successful Akti Miaouli adjacent remark that successful caller times determination person been accrued discreet contacts with well-known shipping companies, not lone for business, but besides for thing broader: shaping the caller economical balances of the adjacent day.

Entering the Suezmax segment: Panagiotis and Dimitris Angelopoulos
In the Suezmax market, wherever valuations fluctuate faster than fixtures, different Greek determination passed astir softly but not unnoticed by those successful the know. Metrostar Management, of Panagiotis and Dimitris Theodorou Angelopoulos, re-emerges with the acquisition of Metro Moon, built successful 2013, with a carrying capableness of 160,250 dwt—a vas that successful the marketplace had already appeared astatine antithetic valuations successful a abbreviated period, ranging from astir $44.5 cardinal to $56 million. The aforesaid institution has already been progressive successful much “structural” restructuring moves, including its exit from Suezmax tankers done the merchantability of 2 vessels to Delta Tankers for astir $156 million. Market executives talk of a accordant “capital cycle” strategy. However, the involvement is not constricted lone to idiosyncratic deals.

The inheritance of Giorgos Oikonomou’s large counteroffensive
Giorgos Oikonomou’s caller determination to fortify TMS Cardiff Gas’s orderbook with 2 further VLGCs astatine HD Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyards is portion of an already intelligibly assertive enlargement strategy successful the state bearer sector. The prime of dual-fuel vessels with a capableness of 90,000 cubic meters and transportation timing acceptable toward 2029 shows readying with a medium-to-long-term horizon, portion the radical is simultaneously moving a bid of orders astatine Samsung Heavy Industries, bringing the full fig of VLGCs nether operation to six. Against the backdrop, the broader momentum successful the VLGC market, with a crisp emergence successful orders successful 2026 and an orderbook reaching astir one-third of the planetary fleet, is creating an situation successful which galore players are positioning themselves successful anticipation of accrued tonne-miles and stronger LPG demand. TMS Cardiff Gas’s strategy, which besides includes the quality to transportation ammonia according to marketplace sources, shows adaptation to a much flexible vigor mix, portion inactive remaining anchored successful the halfway state shipping market. The wide representation is of a shipowner continuing to “build scale” successful a highly volatile sector, choosing to put during a play of beardown activity, portion the marketplace is inactive assessing whether the existent ordering roar is structural oregon cyclical.

Open involvement astatine historical highs
March was a triple derivatives expiry period (indices, stocks, options), and truthful the summation successful unfastened involvement to historical highs (1,669,836 contracts) was somewhat expected. However, April not lone avoided immoderate diminution successful activity, but recorded a caller all-time precocious of 1,805,755 unfastened contracts. Since June 2025, erstwhile the Greek market’s upgrade to developed markets was announced, unfastened positions successful derivatives person accrued each month—from 515,000 contracts to 1.8 million. This does not needfully connote an imminent large marketplace correction, arsenic derivatives enactment whitethorn impact hedging oregon analyzable strategies. What is definite is that, up of the marketplace upgrade, the derivatives marketplace is besides showing beardown interest.

How overmuch is eBay truly worth?
Yesterday, eBay rejected a $55.5 cardinal acquisition connection submitted by GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen. eBay described the connection arsenic “neither credible nor attractive.” The courtship began connected February 4, erstwhile GameStop softly started buying eBay shares and accrued its involvement to 5% earlier making the offer. On May 3, Cohen submitted a non-binding connection for 100% of eBay astatine $125 per share, structured arsenic 50% currency and 50% GameStop shares. The connection offered a 46% premium implicit the February 4 closing terms and a 20% premium implicit the existent price. The concern logic was straightforward: GameStop’s 1,600 stores would springiness eBay a “national network” ensuring authenticity, pickup, and bid fulfillment—an contented that each marketplaces look successful contention with Amazon. GameStop is valued astatine astir $12 cardinal and aimed to get a $47 cardinal institution with a $20 cardinal missive of recognition from TD Bank. Officially, eBay rejected the connection owed to financing uncertainty and integration risks. Shares roseate lone 5% aft the announcement, to $109, inactive beneath the projected $125. The courtship, however, appears to beryllium ongoing.

The UK is not feeling precise well
At the opening of the year, successful January, the output connected the UK 10-year enslaved did not transcend 4.4%. Yesterday it reached 5.10%. A ample portion of this summation successful borrowing costs is owed to war-related factors. However, what concerns analysts and markets is home governmental instability successful the UK. Markets are revising expectations for ostentation and Bank of England complaint cuts. Before the war, complaint cuts were expected; present markets terms successful astir zero probability of cuts this twelvemonth and astatine slightest 2 hikes. Domestically, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s authorities is nether unit from each sides. Reform UK led by Nigel Farage gained crushed successful section elections, portion Labour mislaid hundreds of seats. Starmer insists helium volition not resign, but enactment questions are multiplying, and enslaved markets are again recalling the days of Liz Truss. Yesterday the 30-year gilt output surged to 5.78%, the highest level since 1998. Higher enslaved yields construe straight into higher borrowing costs, tightening fiscal abstraction astatine a clip of expanding unit to enactment households and businesses.