Karageorgos (Freedom24): Market trends in 2026 and the new profile of the Greek investor

George Karageorgos, Head of Freedom24 successful Greece, spoke to Naftemporiki about the challenges of 2026, analysing the illustration of the Greek capitalist who is gradually moving distant from slope deposits successful favour of planetary markets, and explaining why diversification has go the lone effectual defence against marketplace volatility.

Ongoing geopolitical tensions successful the Middle East are having a important interaction connected planetary markets. What is the astir due attack for a retail capitalist seeking to support portfolio equilibrium and mitigate risk, arsenic acold arsenic possible?

The situation successful the Middle East and the uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz item however rapidly geopolitical developments tin impact fiscal markets. At present, we are observing a grade of stabilisation astatine elevated lipid terms levels with signs of balancing; however, should the situation stay fragile, we cannot regularisation retired renewed inflationary pressures that could power monetary policy. Markets, aft all, tend to respond not so overmuch to war itself, but to its economical consequences—primarily vigor prices.

For a retail investor, the cardinal rule is not to respond impulsively to developments, but to stay composed and enactment strategically. In the abbreviated term, uncertainty astir the Strait of Hormuz continues to supply support to lipid and golden prices, while specific bonds oregon equities successful sectors such arsenic defence, cybersecurity, and vigor whitethorn besides benefit.

History shows that markets retrieve when vigor pressures beryllium temporary. Conversely, a much prolonged oregon terrible disruption successful lipid supply could pb to higher ostentation and a much cautious stance from cardinal banks. Therefore, an investor’s strategy should beryllium grounded successful a semipermanent horizon, focused connected concern products that are not negatively affected by geopolitical tensions, and supported by continuous monitoring of vigor marketplace developments. Proper mentation enables portfolios to withstand uncertainty without taking connected excessive risk.

In airy of the caller 10% tariffs imposed arsenic of 24 February 2026 under Section 122 (with President Trump and the USTR signalling an summation to 15% where applicable), however are planetary investors affected overall, and much specifically European and Greek investors?

The caller US trade policies and tariff measures correspond a source of uncertainty for planetary investors. The sectors astir affected are those heavy reliant connected exports to the US market, such arsenic the European automotive manufacture and definite high-value user goods segments. These companies whitethorn look higher costs oregon reduced competitiveness.

However, marketplace reactions two months aft implementation person been comparatively calm, arsenic a important information of the associated hazard has already been priced in. Investors are progressively treating tariffs arsenic a manageable structural hazard within planetary trade alternatively than an contiguous systemic menace to the European economy. For Greek investors, the cardinal is to cautiously measure the gross sources of the companies they put in. Businesses with strong home vulnerability oregon stable currency flows—such arsenic infrastructure, services, oregon the fiscal sector—are mostly little exposed to such trade tensions.

In caller months, Bitcoin has exhibited utmost volatility, while λογισμικό stocks person experienced a crisp and sustained correction. What alternate strategies would you urge for investors to support themselves from akin marketplace turbulence?

Indeed, the caller play has been a wide illustration of however rapidly the concern scenery tin shift. On 1 hand, Bitcoin has shown important fluctuations, reflecting some changing liquidity expectations and shifting capitalist appetite for hazard assets. On the different hand, λογισμικό equities person travel under unit arsenic the marketplace reassesses valuations and the gait astatine which AI is translating into tangible net within concern models. The simultaneous volatility successful crypto and technology highlights however vulnerable portfolios tin beryllium when overexposed to a constricted fig of sectors.

In such an environment, the cardinal request for investors is due portfolio operation to mitigate the interaction of such shocks. A balanced attack whitethorn see high-quality equities with strong currency flows, investment-grade firm bonds with mean duration, and a information allocated to antiaircraft assets such arsenic gold. In elemental terms, diversification is not simply a theoretical concept—it is the cardinal tool for protecting against marketplace volatility.

With the Greek system expected to turn by astir 1.8% successful 2026, supported by investments from the Recovery and Resilience Facility and ongoing digitalisation, what are the astir promising trends and sectors for Greek investors?

The Greek system is connected an upward trajectory, chiefly driven by Recovery Fund investments and the acceleration of integer transformation, with a gradual displacement from the readying signifier to the implementation signifier of projects. This creates opportunities crossed aggregate sectors. The enlargement of artificial quality and integer infrastructure continues to heighten concern imaginable successful companies leveraging technologies such arsenic unreality computing and information analytics to boost productivity and amended efficiency.

It is besides worth noting that the Greek stock marketplace is showing accrued involvement successful companies operating successful energy, infrastructure, transport, exports, and retail—sectors benefiting from the broader resilience and betterment of the economy, arsenic well arsenic from improved profitability successful specific segments such arsenic banking. Naturally, arsenic seen successful caller geopolitical developments successful the Middle East, conditions tin alteration rapidly and indirectly impact the concern situation done accrued volatility. For this reason, it is important for investors to physique diversified portfolios that are not overly concentrated successful a single sector.

With the Greek concern assemblage maturing rapidly (over 128,000 Freedom24 users successful Greece) and galore investors shifting from deposits to planetary markets, what is the illustration of the modern Greek capitalist successful 2026, and what are the main concern options offered by Freedom24?

The illustration of the Greek capitalist has changed importantly successful caller years. Traditionally, a ample stock of savings was held successful slope deposits. Today, however, an expanding fig of individuals are turning to investments successful hunt of higher income potential. This displacement is besides reflected successful the maturation of Freedom24, which has surpassed 128,000 users successful Greece successful little than 4 years.

The modern Greek capitalist is much informed and internationally oriented. They are often successful their mid-30s, put via online platforms, and absorption chiefly connected planetary markets, with peculiar involvement successful US equities and ETFs.

The Freedom24 level helps investors summation entree to much than 1 cardinal concern products crossed 15 planetary stock exchanges, including the Athens Stock Exchange. Through the platform, users tin put seamlessly and harvester opportunities from the home system with the dynamics of planetary markets, while besides benefiting from section support and a afloat Greek-localised environment.

What is the strategic value of Freedom24’s Greek bureau successful Athens, peculiarly successful periods of heightened uncertainty such arsenic the existent environment?

Freedom24’s Athens bureau holds strategic significance, particularly during periods of accrued volatility successful planetary markets. Its halfway relation is to enactment arsenic a “bridge” betwixt Greek investors and planetary superior markets, providing not lone technological entree but besides information, education, and section support.

The Greek bureau enables Freedom24 to amended understand the needs of the home marketplace and to connection much targeted services, contributing to the improvement of a much informed and progressive concern community.

At the aforesaid time, the Athens bureau strengthens capitalist assurance successful a integer planetary concern level by combining entree to a wide scope of planetary products with a carnal beingness and Greek-language support. In this way, Freedom24 aims to play an progressive relation successful the gradual improvement of concern civilization successful Greece.