Greek stocks have climbed 40% over the last year — as the country shakes off ‘downside child of Europe’ label
Tourists in entrance of Academy of Athens constructing in Athens, Greece, on Monday, May 22, 2023. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis pummeled his opposition in Sunday’s nationwide election, shifting a step nearer to getting one other four-year time period and sending markets increased on the prospect that the premier’s investment-friendly insurance policies will proceed.
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Greek stocks posted large good points on Monday after a nationwide election that noticed the ruling celebration obtain an unexpectedly giant share of the vote.
The New Democracy celebration’s 40.8% win, trouncing the second-placed leftist Syriza celebration’s 20.1%, nonetheless left it short of a parliamentary majority. A brand new vote appears set for June 25, during which New Democracy is favourite to safe a victory below election rules that can see the celebration acquire 50 extra parliamentary seats, if it achieves over 40% of votes once more.
As the outcome turned clear at the begin of the week, stocks measured on the Athens General Composite Index shot up practically 7% and rose barely Tuesday, regardless of pessimism in international fairness markets.
The sturdy day by day motion was partly as a result of the Greek market is “small and shallow,” and merchants had priced in the potential for a 3 to four-party coalition that might create instability, mentioned George Lagarias, chief economist at Mazars Wealth Management.
It nonetheless takes index good points to almost 30% in 2023 thus far and to over 40% over the previous year, buying and selling close to the ranges of roughly 10 years in the past — which says extra about reforms to Greece and its financial system than short-term bets, Lagarias added.
“The incumbent authorities is taken into account enterprise pleasant,” he mentioned, and traders now count on the variety of stability more likely to come from a cushty majority.
There are a number of key methods it has secured that picture throughout its time in authorities below Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis since 2019, economists and analysts instructed CNBC.

The first was to take vital steps in direction of enhancing Greek’s antiquated bureaucratic methods in areas such as taxation, rushing up and modernizing methods for people and companies.
Several financial successes have additionally attracted consideration: the early repayment of Greece’s IMF loans, a excessive however declining debt-to-GDP ratio, a sustained rise in employment and better deposits, consumption and company revenues.
Greek financial development was 5.9% in 2022, effectively above the 3.5% charge in the euro zone, and is forecast at 2.2% by the Greek central financial institution in 2023, in response to Reuters. As of this week, the country’s 10-year bond yield hit a 24-year low in opposition to Italy, suggesting decrease threat.
The Greek central financial institution additionally eagerly awaits a hoped-for improve in its financial system from junk to funding grade, which Goldman Sachs says it’s “on the cusp” of receiving.

These developments have been cited by Kostas Kondakis, chief funding officer at Piraeus Asset Management, who mentioned “profitable macro coverage implementation with a powerful fiscal adjustment technique” had attracted the consideration of worldwide traders and lowered threat notion round Greek belongings. He added {that a} key feat of the present authorities has been reaching a funds surplus by way of elevated income assortment, fulfilling a long-time goal of its predecessors.
Kondakis famous that, together with proportion good points, common day by day volumes in the inventory market have been up 38.7% year on year, indicating a return of international traders.
“Bear in thoughts that fairness valuations are nonetheless in a 30% low cost to the Eurozone common, with increased development prospects and a wholesome earnings and free money circulate setting. Greek corporations have discovered rather a lot after a decade-long disaster,” he mentioned.
The subsequent step, although probably not an imminent one, shall be the improve of the Athens Stock Exchange from Emerging to Developed, he added — although it wants reforms, together with the next free float and to draw increased volumes and larger corporations.
‘Problem child’ no extra
Mazars’ George Lagarias additionally mentioned that New Democracy had succeeded in altering perceptions of Greece overseas, regardless of the headwinds of the pandemic and with extreme issues persisting in the type of a cost-of-living disaster and many individuals residing beneath the poverty line.
“Greece is now not Europe’s downside child, fairly the reverse. They’ve managed to alter Greece’s picture from downside child into paragon of reform,” he mentioned.
As effectively as enacting home reforms, the authorities has elevated Greece’s geopolitical stature, Lagarias mentioned. That has included positioning itself as a staunch NATO member, whereas its neighbor Turkey has clashed with the bloc over the accession of Finland and Sweden.
Reinforcing diplomatic alliances can have a major financial influence in a time of ‘friend-shoring’, when international locations wish to shift provide chains in direction of their allies, Lagarias added.
If he secures re-election, Mitsotakis will possible proceed an analogous agenda, mentioned Paolo Pizzoli, senior economist at ING Bank, “taking benefit of a long-lasting re-opening impact which has propelled development over 2022.” Political stability can be more likely to be a constructive for Greece’s funds, notably as pandemic and power help packages wind down.
Tourism will act as a short-term development engine, however the influence of high inflation on actual disposable earnings will hit personal consumption, and better rates of interest could influence mounted capital formation, Pizzoli cautioned.
Lower bond yields and inventory market good points “will show sustainable provided that Greek financial development doesn’t disappoint,” he mentioned.