Portugal's economy explained: GDP data, market trends, business developments, inflation, real estate, and economic policy. Analysis of how economic trends affect daily life and expat finances.
Wednesday, 1 July 2026. Euronext Lisbon opened the second half of the year on the back foot, sliding for a third straight session as telecoms and grid names led the retreat and
From 1 July, parcels from Shein, Temu and AliExpress lose Portugal's €150 duty-free exemption and carry a new €3 customs handling charge per product category. The EU-wide reform, brought forward from 2028, aims to curb low-value Chinese imports and level the field for EU sellers.
Portugal recorded 120 workplace-accident deaths in 2024, an 11.8% fall from 2023, official GEP data show, though total accidents rose 1.3% to 187,018. Construction accounted for a third of the deaths, and small firms carried a disproportionate share.
In its June Economic Bulletin, the Bank of Portugal held its 2026 growth forecast at 1.8%, two-tenths below the 2% the government's budget assumes. Public finances stay healthy — a 0.2% deficit — but inflation above 3% and the closing recovery-fund window make the optimists' number harder to hit.
Portugal gained roughly 6,000 new dollar millionaires in 2025, lifting the total near 181,000, the UBS Global Wealth Report 2026 shows. Yet median wealth per adult fell 5.4% in real terms to $76,978. With 63% of wealthy portfolios tied up in property, the gains are pooling at the top while the typic
Tuesday, 30 June 2026. Euronext Lisbon closed the first half of the year on the back foot, slipping for a second straight session as construction and pulp names dragged. Below, where the
Variable-rate borrowers in Portugal face higher payments in July even though the Euribor appears to have peaked, because contracts reset on a lag. On a typical €150,000 loan, monthly instalments rise up to €60 for annual-reset mortgages. About half of primary-residence loans are variable-rate.
