Commercial Bank will also seek expansion in selected foreign markets. Stournaras said the bank's profits are expected to rise by 28 percent last year to 115 billion drachmas, paving the way for higher divident payment to shareholders. Commercial Bank's equity capital totalled 645 billion drachmas in 2000, while return on asset and equity capital rose to 2.3 percent and 19.0 percent, respectively. Investors will be offered information covering the market's institutional and regulation framework, securities' transactions, brokerage firms and listed companies' obligations towards the public and the work of a Capital Markets' Committee. The call centre will operate on a daily basis, including the weekends, from 900 pm to 2100 am.
Investors can seek information by telephone, fax, mail or e-mail.
Traders said a rise in turnover above 60 billion drachmas was evidence of an improving climate in the market in the last two sessions and noted that gains were evenly spread among market sectors. The general index ended 3.98 percent higher at 3,264.76 points, with turnover at 188.51 million euros, or 64.236 billion drachmas. The parallel market index for smaller capitalisation stocks ended at 260.88 points, up 1.38 percent. The old Athens airport at Ellinikon is to be turned into a park when the new international airport at Spata goes into operation, Prime Minister Costas Simitis confirmed on Wednesday after a government meeting attended by all the ministers involved. We have decided that there will be a Metropolitan greenspace there.