Statistical Authority

Part-time employment is the dominant trend in the local labor market ,as it has grown by almost 100 percent in the last 10 years to reach 10.5 percent of all employment in the first quarter of 2017. Even so, the Greek rate is considerably below that of other European Union states, according to Eurostat figures.

The 43.1 percent year-on-year rise in vehicle sales recorded last month does not mean Greeks rushed to buy new cars in February; instead it was due to the very low sales in February 2016, when potential buyers had been waiting to see what would happen with the vehicle withdrawal scheme, which was eventually brought back last April.

Greek home construction has fallen to a new low this year, with data seen by Kathimerini showing that only 3,286 houses were completed in the first five months of 2016, down from 3,766 houses in January-May last year (i.e. a reduction of 12.7 percent on an annual basis).

The increased number of inspections and the extensive use of plastic money contributed toward an unexpected rise in retail commerce turnover in July, even though salaries keep decreasing and tourists spent less money than last year.

Veteran International Monetary Fund statistician Andreas Georgiou was appointed head of Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) in 2010 in an effort to restore credibility to Greek statistics after the debt crisis erupted. On Sunday, he stepped down, informing Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos of his decision not to accept the extension of his term effective on that day.

Exports posted a smaller-than-expected decline last year compared to 2013, as the last quarter witnessed a reversal of the course indicated over the rest of the year.

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Deflation persisted in the Greek economy in November for a 21st month, mainly due to the impact of the lower taxation on heating oil consumption and the global decline in fuel prices.

Car sales in Greece continued to speed up last month, as new vehicle registrations increased by 33.7 percent year-on-year in October. In certain categories, such as coaches, sales almost doubled from October 2013, which can explained by the rapid growth in tourism, as hotels and travel companies rush to make investments to cater to customers.