Elementary arithmetic

SYRIZA is half a percentage point ahead of New Democracy in terms of popularity ahead of the May 25 European elections, though the conservatives are 1.4 percent more likely to get reelected if general elections were being held now, a poll by GPO conducted on behalf of Mega television channel showed on Tuesday.

Building activity fell by 20.7 percent in February, compared to a year earlier, as measured by the number of permits issued, the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) said on Monday.

There was a 15.1 percent decrease in the surface built and 5.9 percent fall in volume. There was a total of 983 permits issued in February.

Greek industrial output fell 3.1 percent year-on-year in March, from an upwardly revised expansion of 3.1 percent in the previous month, statistics service (ELSTAT) said on Friday.

Eurobank dominated the action during Tuesday’s bourse session. The bank stock’s major decline combined with its 53.5 percent share of all trading on the day sent indices lower as the turnover climbed.

The thumbs-up given by Moody’s to Greek banks, coupled with the expected return of Eurobank and Viohalco to the blue-chip index ended the decline of Greek stocks with a late rally that gave the benchmark marginal gains on Tuesday.

A late rally by blue chips including Piraeus and National offset the losses that the Athens bourse benchmark had been showing up to about half an hour before the end of Thursday's trading, with the rise in international markets also serving to assist in the recovery.

BELGRADE - The value of construction works performed by Serbian contractors declined by 8.5 percent in the fourth quarter of last year against the same period in 2012, states a release issued by the Statistical Office.