Greek stock market regulator has decided to ban short sales of securities which it may be speculating on falling prices for Greek shares. Decision takes effect today and will be valid until 28th June. The reason for this was the wave of sales that hit Athens Stock Exchange yesterday because of speculation that Greece will not be able to meet payments on its debt. The decision of the international rating agency Standard & Poor’s to lower the rating by three points in Greece quake caused the financial markets yesterday and fell 6 percent main stock index in Athens ASE. Investors had expected such a move because of uncertainties about the rescue plan by the International Monetary Fund for Greece and the euro area and the growing interest on government securities of the party would further hamper the Greek government in its attempts to be financed by issuing government bonds. However, news that the Greek government bond rates have already “junk” led to massive sales of Greek shares Tuesday, which suffered the most financial companies. Shares of Greece’s largest bank National Bank of Greece dropped by 10% and already 45% below their price levels by the end of last year. The ban on short selling is not surprising, given that they contribute to the sharp drop in share prices. They allow market participants who expect the price per share to decline to speculate with it, sell it without first be purchase.
Committee on Capital Markets, which regulates the activity of the stock exchange in Greece, indicating the exceptional circumstances on international financial markets as a reason to ban short selling shares in Greek in the next two months. The ban aims to prevent speculative bets that stock prices will continue to fall, which further undermines the already fragile market confidence.