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Portugal's Public Debt Climbs Back to 91% of GDP in Q1 2026 — BdP Adds €0.5 Billion in March to €283.2 Billion as the CFP Tells Brussels and Parliament the Government's 2% Growth Forecast Is 'Demasiado Otimista'

Portugal's Public Debt Climbs Back to 91% of GDP in Q1 2026 — BdP Adds €0.5 Billion in March to €283.2 Billion as the CFP Tells Brussels and Parliament the Government's 2% Growth Forecast Is 'Demasiado Otimista'

BdP puts Q1 2026 public debt at 91% of GDP — 1.3 points above end-2025, €283.2 billion. The CFP separately tells Bruxelas and Parliament the 2% 2026 growth forecast is biased upwards versus IMF 1.9% and BdP 1.8%, and that Portugal overshot the 2025 EU expenditure path.
The Portugal Brief
Martifer Books a €3 Million Hospital Steel Contract in Angola and Lines Up €30 Million-Plus of Renewables Capex Across Poland and Romania — Oliveira de Frades Group Diversifies as the Viana do Castelo Yard Builds for Japan's Ryobi

Martifer Books a €3 Million Hospital Steel Contract in Angola and Lines Up €30 Million-Plus of Renewables Capex Across Poland and Romania — Oliveira de Frades Group Diversifies as the Viana do Castelo Yard Builds for Japan's Ryobi

Martifer wins a €3 million structural-steel contract for a new Angolan hospital and commits €30 million-plus to renewables in Poland and Romania. The Oliveira de Frades group is parallel-tracking a Japanese cruise hull for Ryobi at Viana do Castelo and Navy work.
The Portugal Brief
'Rei dos Frangos' Books a €40 Million Capital Gain on a 9-Year Benfica SAD Bet — €45.2 Million Sale of 16.38% to a Delaware Vehicle Linked to Oak View Group and Acrisure Pushes American Capital Past 21% of the Reds' SAD

'Rei dos Frangos' Books a €40 Million Capital Gain on a 9-Year Benfica SAD Bet — €45.2 Million Sale of 16.38% to a Delaware Vehicle Linked to Oak View Group and Acrisure Pushes American Capital Past 21% of the Reds' SAD

José António dos Santos and Grupo Valouro sell 16.38% of Benfica SAD for €45.2 million to a Delaware SPV linked to Oak View Group and Acrisure executives — a €40 million capital gain over nine years that pushes combined US-fund ownership of Benfica past 21% on the July transfer.
The Portugal Brief
Caixa Económica Montepio Q1 2026 Net Profit Falls 31% to €23.6 Million as Credit-Impairment Reversal Base Effect Bites — Deposits Hit Record €16.3 Billion, NPE Stable at 1.6%

Caixa Económica Montepio Q1 2026 Net Profit Falls 31% to €23.6 Million as Credit-Impairment Reversal Base Effect Bites — Deposits Hit Record €16.3 Billion, NPE Stable at 1.6%

Montepio's Q1 2026 net profit of €23.6 million is down 31% YoY against an extraordinary €12.3 million credit-impairment reversal in Q1 2025. Banking product climbed 4.4% to €109.1 million, customer deposits hit a record €16.3 billion (+6.8%), and NPE held at 1.6%. Underlying franchise grew 11%.
The Portugal Brief
GNR Activates Operação Peregrinação Segura 2026 From Monday Through 13 May Across the Fátima Pilgrim Routes — Two-Phase Deployment, Waze Alerts and a 450,000-Pilgrim Anniversary Window

GNR Activates Operação Peregrinação Segura 2026 From Monday Through 13 May Across the Fátima Pilgrim Routes — Two-Phase Deployment, Waze Alerts and a 450,000-Pilgrim Anniversary Window

GNR's Operação Peregrinação Segura 2026 launches Monday 4 May and runs through 13 May. Phase 1 covers the foot-pilgrim flow on the Caminho de Fátima; Phase 2 secures the Cova da Iria recinto for the 12-13 May International Anniversary Pilgrimage. Waze integration adds geolocated safety alerts.
The Portugal Brief
Pingo Doce's 256-Restaurant Footprint and Continente's Cozinha Continente Drive a Fair-Competition Fight Inside Portugal's Restaurant Sector — AHRESP Says Microenterprises Cannot Match the Central-Kitchen Model

Pingo Doce's 256-Restaurant Footprint and Continente's Cozinha Continente Drive a Fair-Competition Fight Inside Portugal's Restaurant Sector — AHRESP Says Microenterprises Cannot Match the Central-Kitchen Model

Sunday Público reportage: Pingo Doce runs 256 in-store restaurants and is on track to be Portugal's largest restaurant chain. Continente's Cozinha Continente rolls out across a 500-store target. AHRESP says the central-kitchen model is not fair competition for microenterprises.
The Portugal Brief