PASOK: There are some officials in the official opposition who disagree with the scathing attack launched by their leadership (pictured: Nikos Androulakis) against polling firms, because in the latest polls they ranked “Tsipras’s party” second (note: the name ELAS had not yet been announced) and their own party in third or fourth place.
There are, however, other officials who consider this offensive necessary to prevent an immediate and abrupt “green” disbandment and, above all, to avoid blocking the path for some undecided voters who would not rule out PASOK as one of their options at the ballot box.
However, everyone remembers SYRIZA’s similar “accusations” before the 2023 elections, because they considered the 23%-27% poll numbers they were receiving to be too low. Only to end up with even lower percentages in the final results: 20% and 17.8%, respectively.
Consequently, the phrase “we’ve been hit by SYRIZA” is heard in their private conversations and reflects a genuine fear about the course of the race.
Most also agree with the assessment that the reaction from Char. Trikoupi is, to put it simply, “clumsy” and projects “everything from embarrassment to panic, ” as they say. This makes sense, too, when you’ve set an election goal of coming in first “by a single vote” and you see in the polls that you’re trailing ELAS…right from the get-go.
PASOK MP Panagiotis Doudonis took the confrontation to a higher level: he accused or revealed (depending on how you look at it) that there isa secret agreement between Tsipras and the government’s decision-making center to scare the public (into supporting Tsipras) and rally a disgruntled New Democracy (ND) base back to the party.
And since he ended with the phrase “you’ll see in the future”… we’re waiting to see!
REALPOLLS: The company that came under the most fire did not remain… silent. On the contrary, it highlighted its polling successes in recent years, even though, as it claims, it faced attacks from those affected even then.
“In the Athens municipal elections (2023), RealPolls was the only company that accurately predicted both Haris Doukas’s advancement to the second round and his eventual victory.
In the internal elections of SYRIZA-PS (2023), RealPolls was fully vindicated in both rounds, predicting both Stefanos Kasselakis’s 8-point lead in the first round and his comfortable final victory in the second.
Finally, in the June 2023 national elections, RealPolls predicted the election results, including the significant rise ofthe “Spartans,” which was one of the surprises of the race,” the company stated in a press release.
Let’s see what we’ll read and hear next week, when quite a few polls currently being conducted will be released.
TSIPRAS: Confirming the information we reported yesterday, the spokesperson for the Hellenic Police, Theoni Kufonikolakou, announced that all records of donations and contributions to the “Alexis Tsipras Institute” have been filed (with names) with the tax authorities.
She then invited officials from New Democracy and PASOK to come to the party’s offices to verify the records, on one condition: that they bring with them the files regarding the repayment of their exorbitant debts, mainly to banks, which collectively exceed 1 billion euros.
“And since they claim their debts have been restructured and the installments are being paid, they must specify… how many installments there are and what the amounts are,” added a source from the left-wing camp.
Referring to certain calculations, according to which the small amounts spread out over hundreds of installments will lead to the repayment of PASOK’s debt… in 200 years, since it receives a low state subsidy due to its low electoral share in 2023.
In light of this, it remains to be seen whether Char. Trikoupi will insist on raising the issue of the Hellenic Police’s finances.
EE: Announcements are expected today regarding the agreement reached last night among the six largest economies of the European Union, aimed at advancing the plan to unify European capital markets.
For years, Europe has been trying to create something that resembles Wall Street more and the current patchwork of national markets, national regulators, and national… sensitivities less.
According to Politico, the finance ministers of Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, and the Netherlands reached a compromise yesterday in Berlin on the so-called “market integration and supervision package.”
The most difficult issue, as always, was who would be in charge.
France and Spain wanted to immediately grant more powers to the European Securities and Markets Authority ( ESMA). Italy and the Netherlands were calling for a transition period, which could last as long as eight years.
In the end, the classic European solution was found: ESMA’s powers will be expanded“as soon as possible,”but without a specific timeline.
In other words,“we’ll figure it out as we go.”
EU II: However, for the package to pass at the EU level, it must be supported by at least 15 countries, representing 65% of the Union’s population.
And that’s where the… difficulties begin, because countries like Ireland and Luxembourg (remember how many funds are headquartered there) view with great suspicion any idea that transfers powers from the national level to Brussels.
The stakes are certainly high.
Europe has massive savings, it has investment needs, but it lacks a unified, deep, and truly robust capital market. That is why a large portion of the money either remains “parked” in deposits or ends up financing the… U.S. market.
The question is whether, this time too, the “big idea” will get bogged down in individual, national interests.
SHIPPING: With 328 new ship orders worth $28.5 billion in just seven months, Greek shipowners are making the biggest investment push in the shipbuilding market since the great boom of 2008, even surpassing the Chinese in new orders through 2026. The question dominating the international shipping market is simple: why are they buying so aggressively?
The first answer lies in the massive profits of the past five years. Tankers, LNG carriers, container ships, and bulk carriers have generated unprecedented liquidity in Greek shipping funds. “There is a lot of money in the market, ” industry executives admit.
The second reason concerns the shifting climate surrounding the green transition. The stalling of the IMO’s Net-Zero Framework, following the Trump administration’s objections, has reinforced the belief among many Greek shipowners that the market will not shift so quickly to expensive fuels such as ammonia or hydrogen. Instead, they are investing in conventional or transitional vessels equipped with LNG and scrubbers.
A prime example is George Prokopiou’s Dynacom Tankers Management, which, according to Clarksons, has been the world’s largest buyer of newly built tankers over the past three years.
Even companies that just a few years ago were promoting alternative fuels, such as Atlantic Bulk Carriers with methanol, have ultimately turned to ordering conventional ships.
MARINAKIS: Vangelis Marinakis is emerging as a leading force in the new CO2 transport market, as Capital Clean Energy Carriers has taken delivery of the first two innovative multi-purpose vessels, capable of transporting both CO2 and LPG or ammonia, paving the way for the new generation "green" energy transport.
The Greek shipowner had begun investing in this technology three years ago, in a move considered particularly bold for the Greek shipping industry, which is often accused of shying away from pioneering innovative technologies.
The new ships were designed to serve future carbon dioxide capture and storage projects, although they are currently used primarily for transporting LPG and ammonia, as the relevant CO2 market remains in its early stages.
At the same time, other Greek shipowners are proceeding much more cautiously in the market for large LPG carriers. In recent months, only Benelux Overseas (owned by Kostas Angelou), Thenamaris (owned by Nikos Martinos ), and OceanGold (owned by the Dragnis family) have placed orders for very large gas carriers, in deals totaling nearly $700 million.
A common factor behind these new investments is the resurgence of U.S. energy exports under the Trump administration, as well as growing Asian demand for LPG. OceanGold has directly linked its strategy to the long-term growth of the maritime LPG trade, proceeding not only with the construction of two new VLGCs but also with the purchase of a modern second-hand vessel from Vitol.
New Greek players are now entering the sector. A notable example is the first move by European Navigation, owned by the Karnesis family, into the gas carrier market.
PALIOU: The battle for control of Genco Shipping & Trading is escalating into a head-on clash, with Semiramis Paliou’s Diana Shipping and Petros Pappas’ Star Bulk stepping up the pressure on the American company’s management following the new, improved offer submitted by the Greek shipping firm at $24.80 per share.
In statements to Tradewinds, Ms. Palaiou made it clear that Diana’s proposal is “the only viable option” for Genco shareholders, noting pointedly that “we are showing that we are here and no one else is.”
In the same vein, Petros Pappas emphasized that “the offer has been on the table for over six months and no one has come forward with even 50 cents more.”
The most resounding statement, however, came from the head of Diana Shipping, who defended the company’s aggressive strategy by saying: “We put our money where our mouth is.”
At the same time, she accused Genco’s management of essentially refusing to negotiate, emphasizing that “not a single phone call or meeting took place to discuss how a deal could move forward.”
ALTER EGO MEDIA: The management of the listed company provided guidance for consolidated revenue growth of over 20% and a 25% increase in consolidated EBITDA, reaching €67 million.
This growth will come as Vangelis Marinakis ’s company transforms into a Media & Entertainment group. The four pillars of growth, as described by CEO Yannis Vrentzos, are print and digital publications (Publishing), television and radio broadcasting (Broadcasting), content creation (Content Creation), and Live Entertainment.
AEM has already completed the allocation of the €50.8 million in funds raised from its listing on Euronext Athens. The majority of these funds were directed toward strategic investments and acquisitions, such as Newsit and Tlife, Stages Network, as well as the acquisition of a 50.1% stake in the more.gr platform.
At the same time, through its investment arm Alter Ego Ventures, investments were made in Couch Heroes, Spotawheel, and Alterlife.
METLEN: Executives of the listed company are expressing their tangible support for the stock’s prospects through purchases on the open market.
In this context, on Wednesday, Nikos Papapetrou, Chief Executive Director of the Renewables & Energy Transition Platform, purchased 12,500 shares on the Athens Stock Exchange through an affiliated company.
The purchases were made at an average price of €40.8646, with the total cost of the transaction exceeding €500,000.
It is worth noting that the purchases were made despite the fact that the stock has recently been on an upward trend, rising from €35 at the beginning of the month to €40.94 yesterday.
MSCI: Today will see the rebalancing resulting from the recent index review, highlighted by the inclusion of GEK TERNA in the benchmark index for our country, the MSCI Standard.
Although it fell yesterday by 2.23% to €42.12, George Peristeris ’s stock has risen by nearly 20% over the past quarter.
It should be noted that until now, the MSCI Greece Standard Index included eight stocks: National Bank of Greece, Eurobank, Alpha Bank, Piraeus Bank, PPC, OTE, Allwyn, and Jumbo.
GEK TERNA is, naturally, leaving the Small Cap index, from which Cenergy is also exiting. However, CrediaBank is being added (closing at €25.70, or 2.8% higher).