Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-07-04

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Government Reshuffle - New Cabinet announced

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

[03] Weather Forecast: Gradual decrease in temperatures on Saturday

[04] Greek stocks end week 2.37 percent higher

[01] Government Reshuffle - New Cabinet announced

Coming on the heels of major changes in the ruling PASOK party, the press and information minister on Friday announced the composition of the new government scheme.

The reshuffle left most ministers and deputy ministers intact, with the only changes in ministerial portfolios being the placement of George Floridis, previously deputy minister of national economy and finace, at the helm of the public order ministry replacing Michalis Chrysochoidis, who was on Thursday elected to the post of Secretary of the PASOK central committee; the placement of Haris Kastanidis as minister of Macedonia-Thrace, replacing George Paschalidis, who takes over the helm of the Merchant Marine Ministry, replacing George Anomeritis; and the placement of Alexandros Akrivakis as Minister of State, in place of the recently-resigned Stefanos Manikas.

Other changes were the placement of Nikos Farmakis as deputy minister of national economy and finance replacing Floridis; the placement of Theodoros Kotsonis as deputy minister of national defence, replacing Loukas Apostolidis; the placement of Nikos Bistis as deputy minister of the interior, public order and decentralisation, replacing Stavros Benos; the placement of Kimon Koulouris as deputy minister of development, replacing Christos Theodorou; the placement of George Thomas as deputy minister of education and religious affairs, replacing Eleni Kourkoula; and the placement of Vassilis Kontoyannopoulos as deputy minister of health and welfare, replacing Dimitris Thanos.

The 49-member government, including the premier, comprises 19 mnisters, one alternate minister, and 28 deputy ministers.

[02] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.155

Pound sterling 0.692

Danish kroner 7.493

Swedish kroner 9.251

Japanese yen 136.4

Swiss franc 1.562

Norwegian kroner 8.333

Cyprus pound 0.591

Canadian dollar 1.546

Australian dollar 1.699

[03] Weather Forecast: Gradual decrease in temperatures on Saturday

Hot, sunny weather is forecast in all parts of the country. Isolated storms are expected in Macedonia, Epirus and Thrace in the afternoon. Winds northerly moderate and locally strong in the west and north. In the west and north, temperatures will range from 21C to 35C; on the rest of the mainland from 23C to 40C; and in the Aegean islands from 26C to 37C. Temperatures in Athens will range between 26C and 39C; and in Thessaloniki from 23C to 34C.

[04] Greek stocks end week 2.37 percent higher

Greek stocks ended lower the last trading session of a volatile week in the Athens Stock Exchange, as losses in telecommunications shares overshadowed initial gains in bank stocks.

The general index fell 0.28 percent to end at 1,946.70 points, for a net gain of 2.37 percent in the week. Turnover was a moderate 116.9 million euros.

The IT Solution, Telecommunications and Holding sector suffered the heaviest percentage losses of the day (2.18 percent, 1.58 percent and 0.64 percent, respectively), while the Publication and Retail sectors scored the biggest gains (1.39 percent and 0.69 percent, respectively). The parallel market index for smaller capitalisation stocks rose 0.70 percent.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks fell 0.62 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index rose 0.32 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index eased 0.10 percent.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 159 to 151 with another 52 issues unchanged.

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