Greece extends deadline for bank results to December 21

Greece has extended the deadline for its banks to report already-delayed financial results to December 21, the country's finance ministry said on Friday.

The government had postponed the deadline to October 31 and then to the end of November, pending a recapitalization by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.

"With a decision signed by the finance minister, the deadline (to publish listed banks' financial results) is extended to December 21," the finance ministry said in a statement.

The new reporting date comes after a December 13 deadline to complete a debt buyback of Greek government bonds, in which Greek lenders are expected to take part.

Greek banks last published results - for their first quarter - in June.

Following the buyback, the EU and the IMF will take a final decision about disbursing more than 30 billion euros of loans to Greece. Most of the funds will be used to bolster banks' capital.

(Reporting by Harry Papachristou; Editing by Helen Massy-Beresford)