Piraeus Port Authority

Foreign investment companies and Greek market sources are worried that the privatizations program and its anticipated revenues could go off track, as the country's de facto entry into an election period of unspecified duration, combined with the government's marginal parliamentary majority, will likely lead to a selective tabling of bills.

Bank stocks on Wednesday built on Tuesday's momentum to jump more than 5 percent on a day with a more respectable turnover at the local stock market. This was the fifth straight day of advance for the benchmark at Athinon Avenue, a record unseen in the last eight months.

The container terminal at Piraeus has climbed to second place among the Mediterranean's highest-ranking commercial ports at the end of 2018, just behind leader Valencia in Spain, which the Greek port is expected to overtake next year - as it did this year with Algeciras - according to the Lloyd's List Top 100 Global Ports.

Thursday's drop at the Athens stock exchange (ATHEX) was quite tame compared to losses recorded in most other European markets - and considering the slide in Greek bond prices.

The ATHEX general index ended at 652.04 points, shedding 0.74 percent from Wednesday's 656.92 points. The large-cap FTSE-25 index contracted 0.92 percent to 1,705.11 points.

Gains registered by bank stocks and Public Power Corporation spurred prices on Athinon Avenue on Monday, helped also by the recovery of most international markets, although the low turnover did not bode well for the rest of the week.

The benchmark of the Athens bourse managed to top 700 points on Wednesday after 12 sessions below the psychologically important level, as the situation at Folli Follie became clearer and Greek bond yields continued to ease. This time it was non-bank blue chips that drove the main index and turnover higher.

Most of the early gains registered by Greek stocks were wiped out by the end of Wednesday's trading session in Athens, with banks and mid-caps posting losses while the benchmark and other blue chips headed north.

The deadline of the tender for the contractor to undertake the extension of the Piraeus cruise passenger port has been stretched by a few more days due to the strong competition among major construction groups.

Piraeus Port Authority (OLP) is in the process of reaching out to Greek and foreign hotel groups for the development of four hotel units that form part of parent company Cosco's investment plans in Piraeus.

With the deadline for tenders for the expansion of its cruise port approaching at the end of this month, Piraeus port is moving one step closer to being able to welcome the largest cruise ships in the world.