It is announced that INVESTMENT BANK OF GREECE, subsidiary of MARFIN FINANCIAL GROUP, has completed today an important investment banking transaction for the sale of the shares of HSBC in LAIKI BANK CYPRUS.

More specifically:
1. Marfin Financial Group will acquire 30.580.000 shares (9,98% of the total) and will become the largest shareholder of LAIKI BANK CYPRUS.
2. Toscafund will acquire 25.076.066 shares (8,18% of the total), and
3. LAIKI BANK (NOMINEES) LIMITED, on account of LAIKI BANK CYPRUS executives and employees, will acquire 9.193.000 shares (3% of the total).

The transaction will be completed within the next days.

The price of the transaction is CYP 1,70 per share and it is estimated that it is within the limits of Marfin's acquisition policy (less than 1,5 book value and 15 times expected earnings '05). Marfin's management will issue a new PRESS RELEASE in relation with today's agreement after the completion of the transaction and following discussions with the Management of LAIKI BANK CYPRUS. (Attached information regarding LAIKI BANK CYPRUS) Laiki Group was founded in 1901. Today is a modern financial group providing full spectrum of banking, insurance and financial services. It operates through 115 branches in Cyprus, 55 branches in Greece, 6 branches in UK, 9 branches in Australia and 1 branch in Guernsey and has 5 representative offices in 4 countries (New York, Toronto, Montreal, Moscow and Johannesburg). In Cyprus, LAIKI GROUP has the second biggest market share in the banking sector with 24,3% of loans to individuals and corporations for 2005. An important part of the Group's activities is carried out in the Greek market where the Group through its affiliate LAIKI BANK GREECE has a total market share of 1,63% of loans in 2005. Following its strategy for expanding its international operations and as a first step for expanding in the Balkan area, LAIKI BANK has recently purchased 90,43% of the shares of Serbian Bank Centrobanka A.D. Total assets of LAIKI GROUP (30/9/2005) is CYP 6,5 bln (euros 11,3 bln), deposits CYP 5.4 bln (euros 9,4bln), loans CYP 4,1 bln (euros 7,1 bln), profit before taxes for 9m 05 was CYP 40.8 m (euros 71,3m) and net profit after taxes attributed to its shareholders was CYP 30.5 m (euros 53,3 m) while its book value was CYP1,09 per share. LAIKI BANK CYPRUS is the 2nd biggest company in terms of market capitalization in the Cyprus Stock Exchange, CYP 680.000.000 (02/02/06) approximately Euros 1.185.000.000.