Athens, Greece. International banks signalled confidence in the Greek banking sector’s outlook for 2026, citing resilient credit expansion, solid asset quality and rising investor demand. The assessment followed meetings with major lenders and was outlined by Goldman Sachs.
Meetings with major lenders
According to Greek business outlet Newmoney, Goldman Sachs teams met banks’ management and investor relations departments in Athens on March 9 and March 10, 2026. The meetings involved major lenders including Eurobank, Alpha Bank, National Bank of Greece, Piraeus Bank and the Bank of Cyprus.
Credit growth and balance sheet position
Goldman Sachs said Greek banks entered 2026 with strong momentum, supported by sustained lending growth, healthy balance sheets and increasing flexibility in the use of excess capital. It also highlighted continued loan demand, particularly from corporate borrowers, as economic activity remains supportive for the sector.
Asset quality and external risks
The investment bank reported that asset quality across the sector remains stable, with no material signs of deterioration at present. It noted recent developments in the Middle East as a potential risk, mainly through their impact on energy prices and inflation, while adding that Greece appears less exposed to a potential energy shock than many other eurozone economies.
Fiscal stance and EU support
The report cited Greece’s prudent fiscal stance, declining unemployment and continued support from the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility, although it said the window for new projects under the programme is expected to close during 2026.
Capital allocation and shareholder distributions
Goldman Sachs said discussions with bank executives placed strong emphasis on capital allocation strategies and shareholder distributions.
What factors do you think will most influence Greek banks’ performance in 2026?