National Bank of Greece

Chinese group Fosun formally expressed its interest in Greece's leading insurance company Ethniki on Thursday, at a price that should be adjusted based on the firm's financial data, according to Fosun's senior vice president and executive board director Lan Kang.

Romanian lender Banca Transilvania said on Friday it has received regulatory approval from the country's competition watchdog and the central bank to buy Greek Eurobank's Romanian subsidiary Bancpost.

"Banca Transilvania estimates that the closing of the transaction regarding the acquisition of Bancpost will take place during the first half of April 2018," it said in a statement.

Romania's central bank said on Thursday it had rejected Hungary's OTP Bank's acquisition of Banca Romaneasca, despite the competition watchdog clearing the purchase late last year.

OTP signed a deal in July with National Bank of Greece to purchase Banca Romaneasca.

But the sale, which had been expected to close later this year, needed regulatory approval by the central bank.

Unidentified vandals on Thursday vandalized the glass frontsand ATMs of two bank branches in central Athens using sledgehammers.

According to witnesses, a group of around 10 hooded assailants vandalized the windows of the branches of Piraeus Bank and National Bank of Greece on Halkokondyli Street.

An electronic ticket for 11 archaeological sites including the capital's National Archaeological Museum and Byzantine Museum is set to come into effect from June 1 as the tourist season enters its peak, Kathimerini understands.

Greece's Eurobank is looking to increase its market share in Serbia and would consider an acquisition if an opportunity arises, its chief executive told Reuters on the sidelines of a business forum.

Eurobank, the only Greek bank operating in Serbia, is the EU candidate country's seventh-largest bank with a 4.5 percent share of the market.

While the clock is ticking toward the deadline by which Exin has to submit a complete lineup for the consortium to acquire Ethniki Insurance, there is strong interest from elsewhere regarding the sale of Greece's biggest insurer.

The management of National Bank of Greece is considering waiting out the nine-month period of the provisional agreement with Exin Financial Services Holdings BV for the sale of Ethniki Insurance to see whether the deal falls through.

The deal between National Bank of Greece and Exin Financial Services Holdings BV for the latter's acquisition of Ethniki Insurance appears to be hanging in the balance.

The investment vehicle formed by Exin Financial Services Holdings and Calamos Family Partners has ceased to exist.

Banks are placing emphasis on long-term debt settlements, particularly for mortgage loans, which under certain conditions would include forgiving part of the original amount owed.