General Daily Briefing — Friday, 11 April 2026
In today's briefing: • Fosun Weighs Sale of 20 Per Cent Stake in BCP — Portugal's Largest Listed Bank Could Change Hands • Former PM Passos Coelho Wants to Return to Power, Says Senior PSD Figure • Easter Spending Jumps 16 Per Cent as MB WAY Payments Surge • 59,000 Pre-Approved Homes Never Got Bu...
Fosun Weighs Sale of 20 Per Cent Stake in BCP — Portugal's Largest Listed Bank Could Change Hands
Chinese conglomerate Fosun International is actively considering options for its 20.45 per cent stake in Banco Comercial Português, Portugal's biggest listed bank, including a potential sale. The holding is no longer seen as strategic as Fosun grapples with a USD 3.39 billion loss and accelerates efforts to trim its global portfolio. BCP itself is thriving — posting a record EUR 1.02 billion net profit in 2025 — but that strong valuation is precisely what makes the stake attractive to liquidate. The move could be one of the most significant ownership changes in Portuguese banking in years.
Former PM Passos Coelho Wants to Return to Power, Says Senior PSD Figure
Fernando Negrão, the former PSD parliamentary leader and ex-Justice Minister, told Rádio Renascença that Pedro Passos Coelho — who governed Portugal through austerity from 2011 to 2015 — wants to return as Prime Minister and "has a project for the country." The comments land as the PSD prepares internal leadership elections for May 30, where current PM Luís Montenegro is expected to run unopposed. Negrão said Passos Coelho would only move if Montenegro fails to deliver structural reforms, and criticised a party "clean-up" that sidelined dissenters.
Easter Spending Jumps 16 Per Cent as MB WAY Payments Surge
Consumer spending across Portugal during the Easter holiday period rose sharply compared with a year earlier, driven by a surge in digital payments via MB WAY and a strong influx of tourists into restaurants and hotels. The figures point to resilient domestic consumption despite rising energy costs and broader economic uncertainty.
59,000 Pre-Approved Homes Never Got Built — Housing Supply Remains Choked
Some 59,000 pre-approved housing units were never constructed over the past three years, according to APPII, the Portuguese real estate developers' association. Rising construction costs, a 23 per cent VAT burden, and slow-moving municipal licensing are blamed for choking the pipeline at a time when Portugal desperately needs new housing stock.
Portugal, Spain, and Morocco Sign Judicial Cooperation Pact Ahead of 2030 World Cup
The three co-hosts of the 2030 FIFA World Cup signed a judicial cooperation memorandum in Rabat, creating rapid-response protocols and on-call coordination channels to handle cross-border legal issues during the tournament. The pact covers criminal matters, extradition, and mutual legal assistance — laying the administrative groundwork for one of the most complex multi-country sporting events in history.
Portugal Launches Self-Exclusion Portal for Online Gambling
Portugal's gambling regulator activated a single digital gateway that lets individuals block themselves from every licensed online gambling site through one request. The centralised portal replaces what was previously a fragmented process requiring separate applications to each operator — a significant step in consumer protection for the country's growing online gambling market.
President Seguro Promulgates ISP Decree — Fuel Tax Floor Lowered Through June 30
President António José Seguro promulgated the parliamentary decree that temporarily lowers the minimum rates of the Imposto sobre os Produtos Petrolíferos (ISP) on Friday morning in Tomar, where he has been conducting his first Open Presidency in storm-hit central Portugal. The measure, approved unanimously by parliament on Wednesday, gives the government room to continue discounting fuel excise tax as energy prices remain elevated due to Middle East tensions. Gasoline minimums drop to EUR 199.89 per 1,000 litres and diesel to EUR 156.66.