Alpha Bank’s senior leadership met with state officials and key business figures in Cyprus this week, in order to outline its growth strategy and expansion plans.

According to an official announcement from the bank, this four-day visit “reaffirms its commitment to strengthening its presence in Cyprus, positioning its subsidiary as a leading banking choice for businesses and households”.

The high-level delegation included Alpha Bank Group Chairman Dimitris Tsitsiragos and Group CEO Vassilis Psaltis, who met with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, House Speaker Annita Demetriou, and leading business representatives.

The discussions focused on Alpha Bank’s long-term vision, which includes both organic growth and expansion into new financial services.

The Cyprus Financial Literacy and Education Committee (CyFLEC) on Thursday announced that it is intensifying its efforts to promote financial literacy among young people and the broader society as part of Global Money Week.

The committee, which has been operating under the Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC) since June 2024, “aims to enhance the ability of citizens—particularly young people—to make informed, responsible, and rational financial decisions”.

“Recognising the importance of financial preparedness in an increasingly complex economic environment, CyFLEC is launching an extensive series of events and initiatives for the first time in Cyprus,” the announcement said.

The centrepiece of the initiative is the international conference titled “Financial Literacy for the Youth: Preparing the Next Generation,” which will take place on Thursday, March 13.

Cyprus’ trade deficit decreased by €213 million in 2024, reaching €8.25 billion, compared to €8.47 billion in 2023 and €7.12 billion in 2022.

However, the trade deficit for January 2025 increased by €127.5 million, reaching €682.7 million, up from €555.2 million in January 2024, according to preliminary data from the state statistical service.

The total exports of domestically produced goods in 2024, excluding supplies to ships and aircraft, included €1.19 billion in mineral fuels and oils, €348 million in pharmaceutical products, and €323.9 million in halloumi cheese.

The Cyprus Hoteliers Association (Pasyxe) has expressed optimism about the upcoming tourism season, particularly due to an increase in bookings from Germany and Poland.

Preliminary data from the association indicates a 9 per cent rise in early bookings from these markets compared to the same period last year.

During the prestigious ITB Berlin travel exhibition, held from 4 to 6 March 2025, Pasyxe president Thanos Michaelides and general director Christos Angelides engaged in a series of meetings with travel agents and tourism stakeholders operating in the Cypriot market.

Cyprus’ real estate market continued its robust growth into February, with property sales increasing by 7 per cent year-on-year.

Developments in Limassol and Larnaca were the primary driver behind this surge.

According to the land department, property sales nationwide rose to 1,371 in February 2025, up from 1,284 in the same month last year.

Over the January-February period, transactions increased by 13 per cent, with 2,646 sales documents filed compared to 2,340 in the corresponding period of 2024.

A new issuance of Cyprus Treasury Bills (T-bills) will take place on Monday, March 17, 2025.

The 13-week T-bills, maturing on June 20, 2025, are expected to attract strong demand once again, following recent trends of heightened investor interest.

Investments in T-bills continue to gain traction among both individual investors and businesses.

In the last auction for €50 million in Treasury Bills, total bids reached €122 million, with a weighted average yield of 2.48 per cent.

According to data released by the Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC), the interest rate for household time deposits of up to one year fell to 1.34 per cent in January, compared to 1.79 per cent in the previous month.

A ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) sailed into Limassol port on Thursday, the first of its kind to dock in Cyprus.

“The use of LNG as a marine fuel contributes to the reduction of gas emissions and air pollution, as well as to a cleaner and greener future for maritime transport,” port authorities at the Eurogate Container Terminal said, adding that “sustainable development” was a priority.

Officials said that the use of LNG was an important step for “green transition in the shipping sector”.

The total amount of loans held by credit acquisition companies in Cyprus stood at €20.3 billion at the end of 2024, down from €21 billion at the end of the first half of the year, according to data from the Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC).

Of this total, €10.3 billion comprised loans to individuals, while around €10 billion were loans to legal entities as of December 2024.

According to the CBC, non-performing loans accounted for €19.1 billion, representing 94 per cent of the total, compared to €19.6 billion in June 2024.

Cyprus-based mobile gaming platform Skich has officially launched Skich Store, an alternative app marketplace designed to enhance game discovery and distribution for mobile gamers.

Built specifically to cater to players’ tastes, Skich Store offers a personalised experience that goes beyond traditional app marketplaces, positioning itself as a major disruptor in mobile game discovery.

Following Apple’s recent regulatory changes in the European Union, which allow alternative app stores to operate, Skich Store is accessible exclusively through its official website.

The Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) witnessed a slight uptrend on Thursday.

At 12:29, the General Index was recorded at 228.59 points, a subtle increase of 0.22 per cent. Meanwhile, the FTSE/CySE 20 Index climbed by 0.24 per cent to 138.57 points.

Transaction volumes by the same timestamp amounted to €184,296.59.

Focusing on market sectors, the main market index rose by 0.26 per cent, the investment companies index gained 0.31 per cent, and the alternative market index edged up by 0.07 per cent. The hotels index remained stable without any changes.

Noteworthy trading volumes were observed in several stocks. Bank of Cyprus registered trades worth €105,591.70, increasing by 0.37 per cent.

Hellenic Bank shares advanced by 0.21 per cent, reaching a trading volume of €36,104.60.

Other active stocks included Demetra Holding, KEO, and Logicom, recording trading volumes of €31,787.87, €4,651.06, and €3,680.00, respectively.

The day concluded with 40 transactions. 4 stocks advanced, 2 declined, and 3 remained unchanged.