Greek election move rattles investors

Greece’s Prime Minister Antonis Samaras spooked investors on Thursday. Greek lawmakers had been due to vote in a new president in February but Samaras moved the vote forward in an attempt to force parliament to back his candidate for the presidency and, in turn, his pro-austerity policies. It’s a big gamble: If Samaras loses that vote, it could trigger a general election, which he would likely lose. The victor – according to the opinion polls – could be the left-wing, anti-austerity Syriza party. That outcome would raise fears about Greece repaying its debts. And it could once again re-ignite a wider crisis of confidence in the euro.