According to reports in the Greek press, the chairman of the stock exchange has promised to take a closer look at the roles of market makers and the structure of derivatives trading, with a view to bringing the Greek markets into line with European Union rules adopted by other European markets with which the Greek markets may one day look to ally themselves or merge.
Spiros Capralos, chairman of ATHEX, said it was crucial to line up the exchange’s guidelines with that of the rest of Europe, laying particular emphasis on the need to be compatible with the Euronext and Deutsche Borse rulebooks. The Greek markets are already co-operating with exchanges in neighbouring Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia.
“This is an important step for ATHEX,” said a spokesman for BNP Paribas Securities Services in Athens. “It cannot move forward without aligning its guidelines with the rest of the European exchanges.”