Investment

 More public and private sector workers are considering an early exit over fears of regulatory changes

By Christina Kopsini

Pension spending remained within the limits set by the state budget in the first five months of the year, according to data published on Tuesday, compiled by the Labor Ministry's Helios monitoring system, show.

By Yiannis Papadoyiannis

Next year will belong to the country’s banks, as according to the presentations that their officials have been making to foreign investors in view of the share capital increases, 2015 will see positive credit expansion, a reduction in nonperforming loans and strong profits.

National Bank of Greece (NBG) became the latest of Greece's four major lenders to successfully tap international markets as prospects of a recovery in the Greek economy lure investors.

By Svea Herbst-Bayliss

Gains in Greek banks' shares gave billionaire investor John Paulson's $3.2 billion Recovery Funds a lift during the first quarter, and future returns are expected to keep climbing as the housing and real estate markets continue to recover.

The National Bank of Greece has priced its share offer at 2.00-2.60 euros a share, in a placing worth up to 2.5 billion euros, two sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

“There has been incredibly broad-based demand,” one of the sources said.

Six arrested in connection to pension fund corruption case

BELGRADE -- The police took six persons to the Prosecutor for Organized Crime for questioning on Wednesday on suspicion that they illegally acquired at least RSD 70mn.

This happened through abuse of the suspects' official positions held at the state-run Pension and Disability Insurance Fund (PIO).

By Yiannis Papadoyiannis

The international investment community’s interest in National Bank’s share capital increase was exceptionally high on Tuesday, resulting in the oversubscription for the shares of 2.5 billion euros in total from the first day of book building, according to sources.

A fund run by billionaire investor John Paulson has acquired minority stakes in a bank and a water company in Greece, adding to evidence the country was attracting international investors back after a deep six-year slump.

By Evgenia Tzortzi

The successful share capital increase of Eurobank and the forthcoming one of National are changing the lenders’ plans for the sale of EFG Eurolife and Ethniki Insurance respectively.