|
The survey of 980 individuals and institutional
investors registered with consultancy firm sentix, found that
37.1 percent of respondents expect Athens to leave the currency
bloc, up from 22.5 percent in January.
These expectations have risen steadily from a record low 5.7
percent hit last July, but remain below highs of 70.7 percent
seen at the height of the euro zone debt crisis in July 2012.
A Reuters poll of economists in mid-February gave a one-in-four
chance of Greece leaving the currency area in 2015.
"The new aid program for the country does not seem to be
convincing, rather a "Grexit" is now bound to be a constant
topic among investors for the months to come," said Sebastian
Wanke, a senior analyst at sentix.
The poll was conducted between Feb. 26 and 28.
Greece secured a four-month extension to its bailout on Feb. 24,
after tense negotiations between Athens and its euro zone
partners but still faces acute funding problems and could run
out of cash by the end of March.
Spain's economy minister said on Monday that euro zone countries
were discussing a third bailout for Greece, worth 30 billion to
50 billion euros, but EU officials said there were no such
talks.
The sentix survey -- in which respondents may choose up to three
countries they think will quit the currency union in the next 12
months -- put the chance of any country leaving the bloc at 38
percent.
The Euro Break-up Index (EBI) last reached this level in March
2013 after inconclusive elections in Italy and a banking crisis
in Cyprus which saw the country become the fourth euro zone
member to be bailed out.
The EBI hit a high of 73 percent in July 2012, and touched its
low at 7.6 percent in July 2014.
Peter Schaffrik, head of European rates strategy at RBC, said
the bailout extension alone had not removed fears Greece will
leave the 19-member euro zone.
"So far there is an agreement in principle, but have they really
made substantial progress? I'm not so sure," he added.
"What we need is implementation, and for both sides to live up
to expectations, and then we can become a bit more relaxed."
(Editing by Catherine Evans)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
|
