SLOVENIA
NLB shareholders confirm dividend of EUR 7.13 per share
The shareholders of NLB bank on Monday confirmed the proposal to pay out EUR 142.6 million in dividends at EUR 7.13 per share, and endorsed all new candidates for the supervisory board.
Source: STA
Overview of latest GDP forecasts for Slovenia
The latest GDP growth forecasts indicate Slovenia's economy will expand at over 3% this year and just under 3% in 2020. The latest to issue its projections, the central bank, slightly downgraded its forecast for this year and for 2020.
Source: STA
Stock market flat
The Ljubljana Stock Exchange was virtually flat on Wednesday, as the SBI TOP index of blue chips closed 0.20% lower at 870.54 points in a day of mixed trading. Pharma company Krka was the busiest item, contributing EUR 1.48 million to the overall trading volume of EUR 2.61 million.
Source: STA
INTERNATIONAL MARKETS
Stocks slide as tech shares come under pressure, putting the June rally on hold; European stocks close lower after US and China take tough trade stances
Stocks fell for a second day on Wednesday, pressured by declines in tech and bank shares, pausing a sharp rally to start off June. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 43.68 points, or 0.2%, to 26,004.83 while the S&P 500 closed 0.2% lower at 2,879.84. The Nasdaq Composite lagged, sliding 0.4% to 7,792.72. Tech shares were dragged down by chip stocks. The VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH) dropped 2.2% as Lam Research lost 5.3%. Applied Materials, KLA-Tencor and Teradyne also fell. Semiconductor stocks were pressured after an Evercore ISI analyst said a recovery in the space will likely be pushed back to the second half of 2020.
U.S. consumer prices rose just 0.1% last month, matching a Reuters estimate, the Labor Department said Wednesday. Core inflation, which strips out volatile components like food and energy prices, also rose 0.1%.
European stocks traded lower Wednesday after the U.S. and China resumed tough stances in their ongoing trade war. The pan-European Stoxx 600 was down 0.26% during the session, oil and gas stocks leading losses with a 2.1% decline, while banks fell 1.1%. Media stocks were the strongest performer with a 0.7% gain.
Shares of German publisher Axel Springer soared 11.5% after U.S. private equity firm KKR offered to buy out its minority shareholders.
At the other end of the European blue chip index, British American Tobacco (BAT) saw its shares fall almost 4% after warning on Wednesday of steeper declines in global cigarette sales.
Source: CNBC
SERBIA
Serbia's annual inflation slows to 2.2% in May
Serbia's average annual consumer price inflation slowed to 2.2% in May, from 3.1% in April, official statistics show. On a monthly comparison basis, Serbia's consumer price index (CPI) decreased by 0.3% in May, after rising by 0.7% in April, according to figures published on the website of the national statistical office. Prices of restaurants and hotels grew by 0.8% month-on-month in May, while transport costs rose 0.7%. Prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages declined by 1.5% in May.
Source: SeeNews
Every Serbian citizen owes average 1,163 euros to banks
Despite a rise of credit indebtedness in the country, with an average debt of 1,163 euros per capita, citizens of Serbia are the least indebted compared to neighboring countries and former Yugoslav states. These are the results of a National Bank of Serbia bank lending survey for Q1 2019, Politika reports. In 2018, Slovenia had the highest credit debt per capita of all neighboring and former Yugoslav states - 4,998 euros - followed by Croatia (3,990 euros), Montenegro (2,009 euros), Romania (1,434 euros), Bulgaria (1,370 euros), Bosnia and Herzegovina (1,325 euros), North Macedonia (1,207 euros) and Serbia (1,163 euros).
Source: Tanjug
ENHL: Energoprojekt reported EUR 50.3m worth job from Serbia
Energoprojekt reported new contract form Serbia, which is worth EUR 50.3m, related to construction of railway station at Zemun town. Hoverer, this will be executed in a consortium with French company Colas Railway, thus it is not clear which part of the job is related to Energoprojekt alone. Completion deadline is 800 days.
Source: Belex, Iliirka
