Athens News Agency: News in English, 00-02-07

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Foreign Exchange Market

[02] Secondary Bond Market

[03] Greece-Austria

[04] EFG Eurobank-website

[05] Balkans-Turkey

[06] Stock Market Report

[01] Foreign Exchange Market

The US dollar on Monday renewed its ascent abroad to finish higher against the drachma in the domestic foreign exchange market, rising further in after-hours trade.

At the central bank's daily fixing, the dollar was set at 339.670 drachmas from 337.260 drachmas a session earlier and 341.120 drachmas on Thursday.

[02] Secondary Bond Market

Bonds in the secondary market were directionless in light trade on Monday, tracking markets abroad.

The benchmark 10-year bond showed a yield of 6.47 percent to 6.50 percent from 6.45 percent to 6.46 percent in the two previous sessions and 6.48 percent in the two trading days before that.

The paper's yield spread over German bunds was 100 basis points from 101 basis points on Friday and 100 basis points on Thursday.

[03] Greece-Austria

Greece said Monday that governments of European Union countries should respect in practice the principles and values which led to the creation of the EU.

Referring to Greece's stance towards Austria after the entry into the new Austrian government of the extreme right-wind party, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said Greece has made its position clear.

"We have stated from the start that the governments of EU countries should respect, at the level of practice and not the level of words alone, the principles and values which led to the creation of the EU. This position of ours has also been set out by the EU's President, the Portuguese prime minister. We insist on this position which, as I believe, includes all that one can say in this case," Reppas said.

[04] EFG Eurobank-website

EFG Eurobank on Monday launched its new electronic banking website, providing its clients with a range of Internet-based services and products.

At www.eurobank.gr, clients will be able to request account balances, transfer money between their own accounts or to other clients' Eurobank accounts and pay off credit cards. Information on all EFG Eurobank products, including soon-to-be-launched insurance products, will also be available.

The site will also provide real-time information from trading on the Athens Stock Exchange with clients able to make stock market transactions through the site as well as personal portfolio planning and performance monitoring.

EFG Eurobank Managing Director Nikos Nanopoulos told a news conference on Monday that all the bank's online services were completely secure and all transactions guaranteed by the bank.

[05] Balkans-Turkey

Prime Minister Costas Simitis will depart for Bucharest on Friday to take part in the Balkan summit being held there, government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said on Monday.

A day earlier, Simitis will chair a meeting of foreign ministry officials on issues related to the summit, Reppas added.

Asked to confirm whether the Greek prime minister had accepted an invitation from his Turkish counterpart Bulent Ecevit to visit Turkey, extended by visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, Reppas said the invitation had been accepted but that it would take place at the "appropriate time".

Asked whether Simitis would meet with Ecevit at the Bucharest summit, where both are heads of their countries' delegations, the spokesman said nothing specific had yet been scheduled.

[06] Stock Market Report

Greek equities continued their upward course for a fifth consecutive session on Monday, spurred on by steady capital inflows into the market and improving investor confidence.

The general price index broke through the 5,500 benchmark during trading, to reach an intra-day high of 5,514.47 points (+2.52%), but closed below it at 5,489.30 points, with gains of 2.05 percent.

Turnover was 346.24 billion drachmas.

Also boosting prices was the lifting of the daily price fluctuation levels from 8.0% to 10.0%, effective as of Monday.

Construction, Miscellaneous and small cap parallel market shares saw the greatest profits.

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