The EASE/ICAP CRIF-CEO General Index stood at 141 points in the third quarter of 2026, according to the quarterly survey of a sample of 2,700 CEOs/general managers at Greece’s largest companies, conducted by the Hellenic Association of Chief Executive Officers (EASE) in co-operation with ICAP CRIF. The survey was carried out between 14/09/2026 and 28/09/2026.
In the third quarter of 2026, the general index fell to 141 points from 153 in the previous quarter. The decline reflects CEOs’ concerns about the outlook for energy costs amid the prolonged crisis in the Middle East and uncertainty over when it will be resolved. An analysis of the results by company size shows that the index fell across all size categories, with the steepest decline among large companies. The EASE-CEO Current Status Index fell to 139 points from 145 in the previous quarter, while the EASE-CEO Expectation Index dropped to 142 points from 160.
Individual indices
The index of the country’s current economic situation fell to 177 points from 186 in the previous quarter. The proportion of CEOs who said the country’s current economic situation had improved compared with a year earlier fell to 19% from 29% in the previous quarter. Among large companies, the proportion of CEOs reporting an improvement was higher, at 25%. The index measuring expectations for the country’s economic situation one year ahead fell sharply to 146 points from 183 in the previous quarter. The proportion of CEOs who expect the country’s economic situation to improve over the next year fell to 16% from 30% in the previous quarter. This share was higher among industrial companies, at 29%.
The index of the current economic situation in the sectors in which companies operate edged up to 162 points from 159 in the previous quarter. The proportion of CEOs who said their sector’s current situation was better than a year earlier edged up to 26% from 25% in the previous quarter. The share was higher among CEOs of large companies, at 39%. The expectations index for the economic situation in their sectors fell to 153 points from 172 in the previous quarter. The proportion of CEOs who expect their sectors to be in a better economic position in a year’s time than they are now fell to 24% from 30% in the previous quarter. Among CEOs of service companies, the figure was 30%.
The index of companies’ current economic situation fell to 118 points from 125 in the previous quarter. The proportion of CEOs who said their companies’ current economic situation had improved compared with a year earlier stood at 47%, down from 52% in the previous quarter. The figure rose to 51% among CEOs of commercial companies. The index of CEOs’ expectations for their companies’ economic situation over the next year fell to 129 points from 138 in the previous quarter. The proportion of CEOs expecting an improvement over the next year was 39%, down from 49% in the previous quarter. Notably, differences between sectors and company sizes were minimal.
The index of current expenditure on fixed-capital investment fell to 126 points from 136 in the previous quarter. The proportion of CEOs who said their companies’ current investment spending was higher than a year earlier fell to 29% from 37% in the previous quarter. The figure was higher, at 36%, among CEOs of large companies and industrial companies. The investment expectations index fell to 142 points from 149 in the previous quarter. The proportion of CEOs who said investment spending at their companies would be higher over the coming year stood at 35%. The figure was higher among CEOs of very large companies, at 44%, and among CEOs of industrial companies, at 43%.
The current employment index fell to 112 points from 120 in the previous quarter. The proportion of CEOs who said the number of employees at the companies they run was higher than a year earlier stood at 40%, rising to 61% among CEOs of very large companies. The employment expectations index fell to 141 points from 158 in the previous quarter. The share of CEOs who said employment at the companies they run would be higher a year from now stood at 33%, rising to 39% among CEOs of very large companies and service companies.
In addition to the standard questions put to CEOs each quarter, they were asked for their views on the effect so far of rising fuel prices on companies’ profitability. Some 26% of CEOs said the effect was low, while 49% said it was moderate. A quarter of CEOs considered that higher fuel prices had had a significant negative effect on profitability; the figure was notably higher among CEOs of industrial companies, at 43%. CEOs were also asked to assess the tax burden on companies. Only 4% said it was low, while no CEOs of very large or industrial companies rated the tax burden as low. Some 51% of CEOs said the effect was moderate, while 45% considered it high. The share was higher among CEOs of commercial companies, at 51%, and among CEOs of small and medium-sized companies, at 50%.
EASE Management Consultant Vassilis Rambat said: “The economic sentiment index fell in the third quarter of 2026, following a temporary rise in the previous quarter. The decline reflects CEOs’ uncertainty about how turmoil in the international oil market will develop and its potential impact on future business activity, given that three-quarters of CEOs already estimate that higher oil prices have had a moderate to high impact on their businesses so far. At the same time, the overwhelming majority of CEOs consider the tax burden on companies to be moderate to high.”