Eurozone

Eurozone business growth is at its lowest level since 2014, driven by stagnation in France and a slowdown in Germany, according to recent reports, quoted by Econ.bg

In the shadow of political risks such as Brexit and weaker global growth, the eurozone is struggling to keep its economy healthy, according to a study by IHS Markit.

Cyprus is considering repaying early the remainder of a 2.5 billion euro ($2.83 billion) loan that Russia granted the island nation in 2012 amid a financial crisis.

Romania saw a record level of foreign direct investment over the first two months, exceeding one billion euro, the highest level after the economic crisis, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said on Thursday in the opening of the Government meeting. "I would like to point out some data that prove that Romania's economy is on an upward trend and will continue to grow.

It envisages converting the remaining part of the debt of the loan into euros, and reducing the amount obtained through that conversion by 38 percent, the government has nnounced.

Greece plans to file a request this week seeking the eurozone bailout fund's consent to the early repayment of expensive loans owed to the International Monetary Fund, a source close to the process told Reuters Monday.

The Greek government may be celebrating the "low" interest rates with which it has tapped the international bond markets this year, but those rates - besides being the highest in the eurozone - entail an additional cost that constitutes the collateral for investors, particularly the long-term investing funds.

The eurozone's peripheral government bond yields continued to benefit from the European Central Bank's dovish signals on Friday.
Greek government bond yields remained at 13-year lows, having fallen 19 basis points this week and 21 basis points last week.
The Greek 10-year yield was at 3.31 percent, down almost four basis points on the day.
[Reuters]

In the last three months of 2018 house prices in Bulgaria rose by 5.5 percent on an annual basis, according to European Statistical Office data published today. This is the slowest pace since the first quarter of 2016 when the reported growth was 4.6 percent.

The Greek primary budget surplus will remain unchanged at 3.5 percent of gross domestic product up to 2022, according to the International Monetary Fund, which has reiterated its forecast that Greece will stick to its agreement with the eurozone.

,,Bulgaria has chosen the way for rapid fulfillment of the criteria and accession to the euro area as soon as possible.'' Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva said at a discussion on Bulgaria's accession to the euro area.