ENGLISH EDITION

National Bank Group on Thursday said its net profit from continuing operations rose to 423 million euros in the January-September period from 61 million in the same period last year. Operating profit grew to 465 million euros in the January-September period, from 65 million last year, driven by strong core income, solid trading & other income aided by one-off gains, cost cutting and low CoR despite rigorous cleanup of the NPE book

The Greek government on Thursday tabled the 2020 draft budget in Parliament which envisages a GDP growth rate of 2.8 pct and a primary surplus of 3.6 pct in 2020, exceeding a target for a 3.5 pct primary surplus and putting the Greek economy on track for stronger growth.

Greece has made significant progress in recent years regarding the ease of starting a business and is ranked by the World Bank among the top countries in Europe, while in the not-too-distant past, the setting up of a business in the country was a lot more difficult and expensive.

Addressing a panel of new EPP deputies at the European Parliament, Mitsotakis said that the situation in Greece had reached its limits. "Right now, we are receiving 500 refugees and migrants on a daily basis.

Based on the business plan, as described by Aris Kefalogiannis, the food hall is forecast to attract 10,000 to 12,000 visitors per day, amounting to some 3 million people per year, with each shopper spending some 14 euros.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with Finance Minister Christos Staikouras and the head of the Capital Market Commission Vassiliki Lazarakou on Monday where they discussed new legislation on corporate governance that will be submitted to parliament early next year.

Germany and Greece have invested nearly 14 million euros in the program which "focuses on the special relationship between the two countries", noted Deputy Education and Research Minister of Germany Thomas Rachel addressing a Greek-German innovation forum at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.

The Finance Ministry, in cooperation with the Bank of Greece, has agreed on an ambitious plan that will lower nonperforming loans (NPLs) to the average European level of 4 percent by 2022, from currently around 43 percent.

Alternate Protection Citizen Minister responsible for issues of migration Giorgos Koumoutsakos will visit Washington and Vienna respectively, for a series of meetings aiming at that people's awareness on the migration and refugees crisis in Greece as well as the promotion of Greece's positions on the promotion of its priorities.

A market recovery was promised several times over the last decade. Despite a few seasonal freight improvements here and there, the bitter truth of the matter is that shipping has led to operating losses for most shipowners.