Portugal's public debt decreased to 88.4% of GDP in the third quarter of 2026, totaling 284.88 billion euros. This is the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio recorded since the end of 2009, representing a decline of 4.2 percentage points from the previous quarter.
This update is from Bica
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Statistics Portugal (INE) reported a 0.9% year-on-year growth in trade sales for the third quarter of 2026, marking a slowdown compared to the previous quarter. In September alone, the total business volume index fell by 0.3%, with retail sales growth slowing to 0.1%.
The multinational footwear company Ecco is closing its production facility in Santa Maria da Feira, affecting approximately 700 employees. The company announced the decision to workers on Monday, 2 November, and plans for the factory's closure are to be implemented progressively.
The government has extended the subsidy for agricultural and forestry diesel (gasóleo colorido e marcado), injecting an additional 15 million euros to maintain support at 10 cents per litre. The funding is managed by the IFAP, with payments following a schedule where subsidies for fuel consumed in a given month are paid out at the end of the second following month.