Economic growth

Greece can only achieve a high economic growth rate if direct investments increase, Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras said in an interview with US magazine Fortune.

Sustaining growth and improvements in living standards in Turkey will require higher productivity, the World Bank said on July 24.

Main credit challenges facing Romania include the expansionary fiscal policy stance and deteriorating current account balance, according to the findings of a Moody's Investors Service annual report, which predicts real GDP growth of 3.3pct in 2019 and 3.5pct in 2020 backed by resilient domestic demand.

Titan Cement and Public Power Corporation ensured the benchmark of the Greek bourse remained in the black for one more day on Thursday, though it was still below recent highs.

The Greek economy is expected to regain its growth momentum in the second half of the year, after a slowdown in the previous quarters, as a result of increased confidence and favorable monetary conditions, a report by the financial analysis department of the National Bank of Greece argues.

European slaps on Athens' wrist over handouts by the previous government that are seen endangering the budget's targets, inflicted extensive losses on Greek stocks on Tuesday, and came hand-in-hand with a rise in Greek bond yields. Sazka's public offering for OPAP shares it does not own did not help prices either.

The 5pct economic growth registered by Romania in the first quarter of this year has continued to be sustainable and to be based on the national production of goods and services, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said on Tuesday in the opening of the Government meeting.

The whir of sewing machines sounds from street-level windows all over the downtown Athens districts of Patissia, Galatsi and Stathmos Larissis is a constant monotone. Every once in a while, a person emerges from these basement workshops for a cigarette break or to get something from a kiosk.

The main index of the Greek bourse on Thursday reached highs unseen since May 2018, as the momentum among buyers continued unabated at Athinon Avenue.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 850.37 points, adding 0.79 percent to Wednesday's 843.73 points. The large-cap FTSE-25 index expanded 0.45 percent to end at 2,161.94 points.

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila on Wednesday has stated that investments play an essential role in the development of a country through the benefits generated on the labour market and through the facilities they bring in the areas where they are made, while adding that Eurostat and the National Institute of Statistics (INS) have recently announced Romania has the second highest economic growth i