2026 could be the year of investments for Hungarian SMEs

65 percent of SMEs plan investments and developments in the coming year, which is a significant jump compared to the 51 percent result of the previous quarter. The most prominent sector is industry, where 77 percent of company managers plan some kind of expansion, mostly through the purchase of machinery, vehicles and IT development. These data also reflect that companies perceive a more stable economic environment and greater financial security, and expect favorable market conditions in the near future, which together strengthen their willingness to invest.

The biggest change is reported by company managers in the field of mechanization: the proportion of those planning investments in this area jumped from 18 percent in the previous quarter to 26 percent. This is followed by IT investments, where the proportion of those planning to develop changed from 25 percent to 28 percent, as well as real estate and motor vehicles, with an increase of 1 percentage point each, to 8 and 18 percent, respectively. Quality assurance is stagnating at a low level of 3 percent, and the fewest innovations are expected in this area in the coming months.

“Recent research data shows that SMEs are starting 2026 with positive expectations. The sharp increase in investment appetite may indicate that the financial situation of enterprises seems to be stabilizing, and they are more courageously embarking on previously postponed developments, which is also supported by the favorable, fixed annual interest rate of 3 percent, state-supported Széchenyi Investment Loan MAX+ scheme. This type of future-oriented planning can contribute not only to the competitiveness of companies, but also to the momentum of the economy as a whole”

– Zoltán Rammacher, Marketing Manager of the K&H Retail and SME Segment, commented on the data.