ATHENS, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events, which may affect Greek financial markets on Thursday:
EARNINGS POLL-GREECE’S NBG SEEN PROFITABLE IN H1, PEERS TO REPORT LOSSES
Greece’s largest lender National Bank (NBG) is expected to have stayed profitable in the first half of 2014, helped by its Turkish unit Finansbank, while peers Alpha, Piraeus and Eurobank are seen reporting losses, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday.
GREECE’S MOTOR OIL NARROWS H1 LOSS, WEAK MARGINS HURT
Greece’s second-biggest refiner, Motor Oil, narrowed its first-half loss, helped by reduced oil inventory losses and lower taxes.
The Athens-based company said on Wednesday its net loss narrowed to 16.6 million euros ($21.9 million) from 31.6 million euros in the same period last year
GREECE’S OPAP CORE PROFIT JUMPS ON WORLD CUP, COST CUTS
Greece’s OPAP, Europe’s second-largest gambling firm by market value, reported a bigger-than-expected rise in second-quarter core profit, boosted by the World Cup soccer tournament and cost cutting.
Core profit, or earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), rose 50 percent year-on-year to 68.6 million euros ($90.6 million), beating the average forecast of 61.8 million in a Reuters poll of analysts.
ECB HIRES BLACKROCK TO HELP DEVELOP ABS PLAN
The European Central Bank has hired BlackRock Solutions to provide consultancy services in its preparations for a programme to buy asset-backed securities (ABS), an ECB spokesman said on Wednesday.
EUROPEAN FACTORS TO WATCH-SHARES SEEN EDGING LOWER, FOCUS ON DATA
European shares were expected to edge lower early on Thursday after touching a one-month high in the previous session, with investors focusing on further data releases for hints about the European Central Bank’s likely policy moves.
GLOBAL MARKETS-ASIA STOCKS STEADY AS RALLY FADES, EURO CLINGS TO GAINS
Asian shares held steady after pulling back from a 6-1/2 year high as the recent rally in risk assets petered out for now, while the euro clung to modest gains after rebounding from 13-month lows.
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