Economic history of Italy

Greece has the lowest savings rate among the 28 European Union member-states, as households and corporations are struggling under the burden of salary reductions, excessive taxation and various other heavy financial demands.

The slight decline of bank deposits last month, despite the strong tourism season, and the upcoming shift of all general government entities' cash to the Bank of Greece are generating serious concern among the country's commercial lenders.

Greek banks' business plans provide for a greater reduction to non-performing exposures (NPEs) than what has been agreed with the European Central Bank's Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) in an effort to illustrate to monitors their resolve in tackling the problem in a dynamic manner.

Piraeus Bank said on Monday it will respond to a draft report of a Bank of Greece audit that found regulatory violations during 2014-16 and that a final report by the central bank would follow thereafter.

Fitch Ratings has said the rapid loan growth at Turkish banks in the first half of the year resulted from the significant impact of a government initiative to stimulate lending, estimating that the loan growth of the sector might hit 20 percent in 2017. 

Greece will set up a development bank to fund infrastructure projects, start-ups, small businesses and export oriented companies, the government's economic policy council said on Friday.

The Hellenic Development Bank will be a state lender that will complement commercial banks to help fund growth and regional projects.

Interest rates on deposit accounts reached record low levels. In the last month, mortgage interest rates have also been seriously declining according to statistics by the Bulgarian National Bank, published at the end of the week. Economists advise that personal finances should be managed wisely and that money be invested in accessible instruments, BNT reports. 

The last three days of July, right up until midnight on Monday, will put the growth trend observed in bank deposits to a major test. The 1-billion-euro rise recorded in June has been augmented this month according to banks, but officials say Monday is the key day, being the deadline for the first tranche of income tax.

Growing profits, high capital buffers and stable funding are pillars that will continue to support the prospects for banks in Bulgaria, according to Moody's Investors Service's analysis of the banking sector and financial stability in the country. Reports Investor.

Contrary to earlier information that taxpayers would have to pay between 0.25 and 0.50 euros for every payment to the state as of this month if made via bank counters, it emerged on Thursday that the charges banks intend to impose on taxpayers using their counters to pay income tax, single property tax (ENFIA), value-added tax etc, will range between 1.10 and 1.50 euros per transaction.