The Bank of Greece announced on 21 October that the current account surplus widened by 533 million euros in August 2026 to reach 1.7 billion. The improvement came mainly from primary income and secondarily from services, while the goods deficit and secondary income worsened. Over January to August, the current account deficit rose by about 2.4 billion to 8.9 billion euros, mainly because of secondary income. Goods exports rose 17.3% and imports 9.3% at current prices, and excluding fuel the increases were 9.6% and 4.1%.

What it means: The current account shows whether the country earns more from abroad than it pays, through trade, tourism, interest and transfers. August is traditionally a strong month because of tourism, but the eight-month picture remains in deficit, which means the economy needs financing from abroad, about 8.5 billion euros once the capital account is added. For businesses, the positive element is export growth, which outpaces imports even without fuel, so it is not driven only by energy prices. The large gap between current and constant prices, however, shows that part of the rise comes from higher prices rather than larger volumes. The deterioration in secondary income usually relates to transfers, such as EU inflows and remittances, and is worth watching in the coming months. For exporters and tourism businesses, the figures show foreign demand is holding up, while for firms that depend on imported raw materials, import costs remain a key factor. The figures are provisional and may be revised.

Notice: For information only. Not investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell.

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