GREECE – Factors to Watch on April 8

ATHENS, April 8 (Reuters) – Here are news stories, press reports and events which may affect Greek financial markets on Thursday:

Financials

GREEK BANKS SEEK MORE AID AS SPREADS WIDEN AGAIN

Greece’s borrowing costs hit a new high on Wednesday after the government said the country’s banks had asked for billions of euros in support and euro zone states argued over the conditions of potential bailout loans. [ID:nLDE636138]

ECB TO REVAMP LENDING RULES AS GREECE TENSIONS GROW

The European Central Bank is expected to do its bit to ease the financial squeeze on Greece on Thursday by fleshing out new lending rules and keeping euro zone interest rates at a record low of 1.0 percent. [ID:nLDE6350JT]

GREECE DOES NOT EXPECT SPREADS TO DROP SOON-FINMIN

Greece does not expect the premium investors demand to buy Greek state bonds instead of German bunds — now at a euro lifetime high — to drop soon, the country’s finance minister said on Wednesday. [ID:nATH005340]

GREEK BANK DEPOSITS DOWN 1.4 PCT M/M IN FEB-C.BANK

Business and household deposits at Greek banks fell 1.4 percent to 229.5 billion euros in February compared to a month earlier, central bank data showed on Wednesday. [ID:nLDE6361KS]

CABINET CLEARS DRAFT LAW ON ILLEGALLY CONVERTED BUILDINGS

The cabinet cleared a draft bill that allows home owners to pay one-off penalties to legalise building code violations on home conversions, financial daily Imerisia reported. The government will use proceeds to fund the creation of more parks in urban areas.

www.imerisia.gr

JUMBO NINE-MONTH SALES UP 10.6 PCT

Toy retailer Jumbo (BABr.AT) announced a 10.63 percent rise in nine-month sales, which include revenues during Easter, financial daily Kerdos reported.

www.kerdos.gr

EUROPE FACTORS-SHARES SEEN DOWN;RATE DECISIONS EYED

European shares are set to open lower on Thursday, tracking falls on Wall Street and Asia, with direction likely to be dictated by interest rate decisions from the Bank of England (BoE) and the European Central Bank (ECB) later in the session. [ID:nLDE63703M]

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Europe Factors-Shares seen down; rate decisions eyed

LONDON, April 8 (Reuters) – European shares are set to open lower on
Thursday, tracking falls on Wall Street and Asia, with direction likely to be
dictated by interest rate decisions from the Bank of England (BoE) and the
European Central Bank (ECB) later in the session.

Britain’s FTSE 100 .FTSE is expected to open 25 to 28 points lower, or
down as much as 0.5 percent; Germany’s DAX .GDAXI is seen opening down 17 to
21 points, or as much as 0.3 percent; and France’s CAC 40 .FCHI is expected to
open 20 to 26 points lower or as much as 0.7 percent.

Some worries over Greece’s fiscal problems are also likely to weigh on
equities. Concerns over Greece put pressure on the euro, which ground closer to
this year’s low against the dollar on Thursday as investors grew increasingly
sceptical of the country’s ability to end its debt crisis.

The ECB is expected to do its bit to ease the financial squeeze on Greece on
Thursday by fleshing out new lending rules and keeping euro zone interest rates
at a record low of 1.0 percent.

The ECB’s rate decision is expected at 1145 GMT, followed by a news
conference at 1230 GMT.

Meanwhile, economists expect the BoE to keep interest rates at 0.5 percent
and not to add to the 200 billion pounds of asset purchases made under its
quantitative easing programme as inflation eased in line with central bank
forecasts this month and growth remains uncertain. A rate announcement is
expected at 1100 GMT.

———————-MARKET SNAPSHOT AT 514 GMT———————-

LAST PCT CHG NET CHG
S&P 500 .SPX 1,182.45 -0.59 % -6.99
NIKKEI .N225 11,171.06 -1.08 % -121.77
MSCI ASIA EX-JP .MIASJ0000PUS 503.97 -0.75 % -3.83
EUR/USD EUR= 1.3332 -0.01 % -0.0002
USD/JPY JPY= 93.20 -0.06 % -0.0600
10-YR US TSY YLD US10YT=RR 3.876 — 0.01
10-YR BUND YLD EU10YT=RR 3.101 — -0.02
SPOT GOLD XAU= $1,146.00 -0.09 % -$1.00
US CRUDE CLc1 $85.83 -0.06 % -0.05
———————————————————————–

US STOCKS-Wall St slides on rate angst; airlines up late [ID:nN07136898]

GLOBAL MARKETS-Asia stocks down after strong gains, euro off [ID:nSGE637040]

Nikkei dips, exporters slip on stronger yen [ID:nTOE63701O]

Oil falls 2nd day as dollar, U.S. crude inventories up [ID:nSGE63706J]

TREASURIES-Bonds rally on record 10Y sale, Greece worries [ID:nN07107282]

METALS-LME copper falls 0.7 pct, drags Shanghai lower [ID:nSGE63705F]

PRECIOUS-Gold falls from 3-month high on firm dlr [ID:nSGE63705A]

(Reporting by Harpreet Bhal; Editing by Mike Nesbit)