The Bank of Greece released balance of payments statistics for February 2026 but will not publish the balance of goods and aggregates that include it, including the current account, after the Hellenic Statistical Authority postponed the underlying commercial transactions data used to compile the goods balance. Available figures show a modest year-on-year improvement in the services balance in February, driven by a stronger travel balance that was largely offset by a lower transport surplus and a shift in other services from surplus to deficit. Compared with February 2025, non-residents’ arrivals rose 44.5% and related receipts increased 83.2%. The primary income account deficit almost doubled, mainly due to lower net receipts under other primary income, while the secondary income account deficit widened on higher general government net payments. Over January to February 2026, the services surplus increased (arrivals up 38.5% and receipts up 70.7% year-on-year), the primary income account moved to a deficit from a small surplus, and the secondary income account surplus contracted. The capital account recorded deficits of EUR 106.8 million in February and EUR 263.0 million in January to February. In the financial account, February direct investment showed net flows of EUR 600.7 million in residents’ external assets and EUR 780.9 million in residents’ external liabilities; portfolio investment reflected higher residents’ holdings of foreign bonds and Treasury bills (EUR 1.2 billion) and foreign equities (EUR 303.7 million), alongside higher non-residents’ holdings of Greek bonds and Treasury bills (EUR 1.4 billion) and Greek equities (EUR 151.0 million). Other investment was driven by higher deposit and repo positions (including TARGET-related items), and end-February reserve assets stood at EUR 23.0 billion versus EUR 15.7 billion a year earlier. The Bank of Greece indicated that publication of the goods balance and related aggregates will resume once ELSTAT releases the February 2026 commercial transactions data. Balance of payments data for March 2026 are scheduled for release on 22 May 2026.
Bank of Greece 2026-04-20
Bank of Greece publishes February 2026 balance of payments while withholding goods and current account data pending ELSTAT trade release
The Bank of Greece published February 2026 balance of payments data but omitted the goods balance and related aggregates, including the current account, after the Hellenic Statistical Authority postponed commercial transactions data. Available figures show a stronger services surplus driven by travel, offset by weaker transport and other services, wider primary and secondary income deficits, capital account deficits, and higher direct, portfolio and other investment flows, while reserve assets rose to EUR 23.0 billion from EUR 15.7 billion a year earlier. Publication of the goods balance and related aggregates will resume once the Hellenic Statistical Authority releases the February 2026 trade data.