Portugal Government News Headlines

Industrial Production year-on-year change rate was -3.8%, in August (-0.8% in July). Excluding the Energy grouping, the variation was -3.6% (-0.8% in the previous month). Manufacturing Industry year-on-year change rate was -5.0% (-1.9% in July). The monthly change rate of the total index was -2.0% (0.4% in the previous month).

Statistics Portugal released the main results of the National Health Survey (INS), carried out in the 4th quarter of 2025, on June 24, 2026. This Press Release provides a more detailed analysis of the health-related information of the population aged 65 and over in the following dimensions:

• sensory or physical difficulties, with the results showing that difficulties in biting or chewing (17.1% of older people) and climbing or descending 12 steps without assistance (16.9%) were the most reported by older people;

• barriers to participation in specific aspects of life due to long-term health problems, with older population citing, above all, obstacles to mobility: in the use of transport (16.9% of older people), in accessing and using buildings and facilities (16.0%) and in mobility outside the home (15.7%);

• difficulties in personal care and carrying out domestic activities, with 45.9% of older people reporting difficulty in at least one domestic activity, whilst 16.9% of older people reported having at least one difficulty with personal care;

• informal care, with 22.4% of older people reporting that they had received informal support or assistance and 11.9% of older people having provided informal care to other people;

• social support, with more than a third of older people (34.3%) benefitting from strong social support;

• vaccination, with higher vaccination rates against influenza and COVID-19 than those recorded for pneumonia and, in general, lower proportions of the older population vaccinated in the Autonomous Regions;

• chronic conditions, with the results showing that high blood pressure affects 55.5% of older people and that half of this population group suffers from low back pain or other chronic back problems;

• consumption of medicines, with a particular focus on the higher prevalence of regular use of prescribed medicines for high blood pressure, diabetes and high blood lipid levels amongst the elderly population compared with people aged 15 to 64: it was also found that the elderly population habitually used medication less frequently to treat depression and anxiety than people aged 15 to 64;

• accidents in the home or during leisure activities, confirming that the occurrence of domestic or leisure accidents with injury increases with age, reaching 9.7% of persons aged 85 or over, compared with 6.4% for the population aged 65 or over and 3.2% for people aged 15 to 64.

July 2026 (definitive estimates):

• The unemployment rate stood at 5.7%, the same value as in April and June 2026 but down 0.1 percentage points (pp) from July 2025.

• The labour underutilisation rate was estimated at 9.6%, up from the previous month (0.3 pp), and down from three months before (0.1 pp) and from the same month of 2025 (0.4 pp).

• The unemployment rate of men stood at 4.9%, reaching its lowest value since February 1998.

August 2026 (provisional estimates):

• The unemployment rate stood at 5.7%, the same value as in July 2026, up from May of that year (0.1 pp) and down from August 2025 (0.2 pp).

• The labour underutilisation rate was estimated at 9.7%, up from the previous month (0.1 pp) and from three months before (0.2 pp) and down from a year earlier (0.4 pp).

The monthly employment and unemployment estimates published in the current Press Release are still based on the resident population estimates calculated from the final results of the 2021 Census. Following the release of the annual resident population estimates based on administrative sources for 2025 and the revision for the 2021 to 2024 period, the monthly employment and unemployment estimates will be revised on the 4th of March 2027.

In August 2026, the tourist accommodation sector recorded 3.9 million guests (+1.9%) and 10.9 million overnight stays (+1.7%). These results generated EUR 1.1 billion in total revenue and EUR 846.6 million in revenue from accommodation, accounting for 4.6% growth in both.

The growth in overnight stays was driven by both residents and non-residents. Overnight stays by residents rose by 1.5% (+4.1% in July), reaching 3.9 million. Overnight stays by non-residents grew by 1.9% to 7.0 million (+0.8% in July).

Among the top ten inbound markets, Poland and Canada recorded the highest growth rates (+11.7% and +11.2%, respectively). In contrast, the French market continued to show the sharpest decline (-7.6%). 

In the same month, the revenue per available room (RevPAR) stood at EUR 119.1 (+1.5%) and the average daily rate (ADR) reached EUR 163.2 (+3.0%).

The trade turnover index recorded a year-on-year increase of 1.7% in August, 0.2 percentage points (p.p.) higher than the observed in the previous month. Retail trade grew by 2.4%, although it slowed by 0.2 p.p. compared with July, while wholesale trade increased 1.5%, following a 0.3% contraction in the previous month. Trade, maintenance, and repair of motor vehicles recorded a 3.3 p.p. slowdown, reaching a growth rate of 0.8%.

Employment, wages and hours worked adjusted for calendar effects indices recorded year-on-year changes of 0.9%, 5.8% and 1.4% in August, respectively (1.0%, 6.3% and 1.3% in July).

Based on the information available until the date of this press release, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) annual rate is estimated to have increased to 3.6% in September 2026 (3.3% in August). This acceleration is mostly explained by the increase in the prices of fuels. The core inflation index, which excludes energy and unprocessed food products components was 2.7% (2.6% in the previous month). The annual rate of change of the index for energy products increased to 15.4% (12.2% in August) and the estimated index for unprocessed food presented a rate of change of 3.6% (3.4% in the previous month).

The CPI monthly rate is estimated to be 1.2% (nil in August and 0.9% in September 2025), while the CPI 12-month average rate was estimated to be 2.8% (2.7% in the previous month).

The estimate of the Portuguese Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) annual rate of change was 3.6% (the same value as in the previous month).

The September CPI final results will be released on October 13th, 2026.

In the 2nd quarter of 2026, the median house rental value of the 35,407 new lease agreements in Portugal was 10.17 €/m2. This value represents a year-on-year growth of 10.2%, higher than observed in the previous quarter (9.1%). When compared to the 2nd quarter of 2025, the number of new lease agreements increased by 0.4%.

The median house rental value increased in all NUTS 3 sub-regions. The highest values were recorded in Grande Lisboa (15.24 €/m2), Região Autónoma da Madeira (12.78 €/m2), Península de Setúbal (11.99 €/m2), Algarve (11.56 €/m2), and Área Metropolitana do Porto (10.83 €/m2).

In the 2nd quarter of 2026, there was a year-on-year increase in the median house rental value in the 24 municipalities with more than 100 thousand inhabitants, with Guimarães (20.7%) recording the highest year-on-year growth rate and Lisboa with the highest median rental (17.79 €/m2), although with a lower year-on-year growth rate (5.1%) than the national value (10.2%). Ten of the 24 municipalities with more than 100 thousand inhabitants presented year-on-year growth rates of the number of new lease agreements higher than the national rate (0.4%), with Almada (17.2%) standing out with the greatest variation.

The Consumer confidence indicator declined in August and September, after increasing in the previous three months. The decline in September was driven by negative contributions from expectations regarding the future evolution of the country’s economic situation and of households’ financial situation, as well as from opinions on the past evolution of households’ financial situation. In the opposite direction, expectations on the future evolution of major purchases by households registered a positive contribution. 

The balance of opinions on past price developments decreased in the last five months, after recording in April its highest rise since May 2008. The balance of expectations on future price developments increased in August and September, following the decreases of the previous four months.

The economic climate indicator decreased in September, after having increased in the previous month. The confidence indicators increased in Manufacturing Industry and in Services, having decreased in Trade and in Construction and Public Works.

In the Manufacturing Industry, the indicator increased in September, after having decreased in the previous month, driven by the positive contributions of assessments of stock of finished products and, more significantly, of production expectations. The confidence indicator of Services also increased in August and September, after having decreased in July, driven by the positive contributions from assessments of the firm's activity and opinions on the evolution of the order books. By contrast, the Trade confidence indicator decreased in the last three months, slightly in September, reflecting the negative contributions from assessments on the current volume of stocks and opinions on the volume of sales. The confidence indicator of Construction and Public Works also decreased in September, after having increased in July and August, reflecting the negative contributions of both components: opinions on current order books and perspectives on employment. 

In September, the entrepreneurs’ expectations regarding the future evolution of selling prices increased in all sectors, with particularly strong increases in Manufacturing Industry, Services and Trade, and a more moderate increase in Construction and Public Works.

The median value of bank appraisals on housing reached €2,254 per square meter in August, €14 more than in the previous month (an increase of 0.6%). On a year-on-year basis, the rate of change stood at 14.7% (15.2% in July). It should be noted that the number of bank appraisals decreased 4.1% when compared to the previous period, to around 32.7 thousand, 3.1% more than reported in the same period of the previous year. 

The Portuguese economy recorded a net lending of 2.3% Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the second quarter of 2026, representing a decrease of 0.1 percentage points compared with the previous quarter. Gross National Income (GNI) and Gross Disposable Income (GDI) both increased by 1.5%. The slight decline in the economy’s net lending was driven by the reduction in the balances of Households  and Financial Corporations.

The disposable income of Households sector increased by 1.4% compared to the previous quarter, reflecting a 1.6% rise in compensation of employees, supported by increases in Gross Value Added (GVA) and social benefits received. The growth in GDI, combined with a 1.7% increase in final consumption expenditure (1.3% in the previous quarter), resulted in a household saving rate of 12.1%. Households’ net lending stood at 4.1% of GDP (0.2 percentage points lower than in the previous quarter), reflecting the decline in saving and the increase in Gross Capital Formation (GCF).

The balance of Non-Financial Corporations improved by 0.3 percentage points of GDP in the second quarter of 2026, reaching -3.0% of GDP. GVA and compensation of employees paid increased by 1.8% and 1.7%, respectively, while GCF grew by 2.1%. The net lending of Financial Corporations stood at 0.7% of GDP (0.2 percentage points lower than in the previous quarter).

The balance of the General Government sector remained positive in the year ending in the quarter, standing at 0.5% of GDP in the second quarter of 2026, unchanged from the previous quarter. Considering quarterly values rather than the year ending in the quarter, the General Government balance amounted to EUR 1,325 million in the second quarter of 2026, corresponding to 1.6% of GDP, compared with 1.7% in the same period of the previous year. Compared with the corresponding period of the previous year, total revenue and total expenditure increased by 6.9% and 7.0%, respectively.

In 2025, the GDP reached 308.5 thousand million euros, representing a nominal growth of 6.0%, following an increase of 7.7% in 2024. In volume, the GDP growth was 1.9% in 2025 (2.7% in the previous year), with GDP deflator growing by 4.0%, after a rate of change of 4.9% in 2024. All the main components of expenditure increased, mainly investment, which grew by 6.5% in volume.

In 2025, Gross Value Added (GVA) increased by 5.7% in nominal terms and 1.7% in volume, after growth rates of 7.6% and 2.5%, respectively, in 2024. 

Gross National Income (GNI) increased by 6.2% in 2025, after a growth of 8.7% in 2024. The economy recorded a net lending of 2.5% of GDP in 2025, which represents a deterioration in the balance by 0.8 percentage points compared to the previous year. The household saving rate  stood at 12.3%, 0.6 percentage points below the previous year’s rate, reflecting a greater increase in Private Consumption than that in Gross Disposable Income (GDI) (6.3% and 5.7%, respectively). 

According to EU regulations, Statistics Portugal presents the second notification for 2026 associated with the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP) to be sent to Eurostat before the end of the month. According to these provisional results, the General Government (GG) had a positive balance, in 2025, amounting to EUR 2 045.4 million, corresponding to 0.7% of GDP (0.7 % in 2024). Gross debt of GG decreased to 89.2 % of GDP in 2025 (93.0 % of GDP in 2024).

GG Total revenue amounted to EUR 132.7 billion, increasing by 6.3% vis-à-vis 2024 (+ EUR 7.9 billion), mainly as a consequence of the growth of 5.6% in current revenue (EUR 6.8 billion more than in 2024). 

In the same period, GG total expenditure increased by 6.5% (in EUR 7.9 billion), to EUR 130.6 billion, with current expenditure increasing by EUR 6.3 billion (5.6%), as a result of rises in compensation of employees (with a rate of change of 7.5%) and in social benefits other than social transfers in kind, which grew 5.7%. Capital expenditure increased 15.6% (EUR 1.6 billion), mainly due to the increase of investment expenditure.

In 2025, total tax revenue increased by 6.7% in nominal terms, attaining EUR 108.8 billion. The tax burden indicator, that corresponds to the ratio between tax revenue and GDP, increased to 35.3% in 2025 (35.0% in 2024).

Statistics Portugal releases, for the first time, estimates for the road traffic made by vehicles with national register. This publication no longer qualifies within the scope of experimental studies published in StatsLab – developing statistics – and starts integrating the regular statistical production of the Institute. The new information provides a data series starting in 2015, allowing the analysis of road traffic throughout the last decade, by type of vehicle and type of fuel.

The results presented here enable the characterization of traffic trends by different types of Portuguese-registered vehicles subject to periodic inspection and constitute a new source of information for monitoring the road mobility in Portugal.

In 2025, it is estimated that 80.7 billion vehicle-km (vkm) were covered by the national stock of vehicles (+2.0% compared to 2024, +10.2% compared to 2015, first year of the series available). The movement of light passenger vehicles represented 75.2% of the total traffic (+0.7 p.p. in comparison to 2024 and +5.3% in comparison to 2015), while light freight vehicles represented 16.8% (-0.8 p.p.; -5.7 p.p. compared to 2015).

The movement of combustion vehicles registered a reduction, both in diesel (-0.7%), to 56.7 billion vehicle-km, and in petrol (-1.0%), to 16.3 billion vehicle-km. Those values corresponded to, respectively, 70.2% (-1.9 p.p.) and 20.1% (-0.6 p.p.) of the total of vehicle-km.

In the 2nd quarter of 2026, the year-on-year rate of change of the House Price Index (HPI) was 16.5%, 1.3 percentage points (pp) lower than the previous quarter.  In the reference quarter, prices for existing dwellings rose at a faster pace than those for new dwellings, 18.0% and 12.3% respectively. 

Compared to the previous quarter, the HPI grew by 3.6% (3.8% in the 1st quarter of 2026). By category, existing dwellings (3.6%) recorded a similar increase in prices to that seen for new dwellings (3.5%).

Between April and June 2026, 40,142 dwellings were sold, which represents a decrease of 6.4% compared to the same quarter in 2025. In these months, the value of the dwellings sold totalled 10.7 billion euros, up 4.2% compared with the same quarter of the previous year.

In the reference quarter, house purchases by the institutional sector of Households accounted for 34,935 units (87.0% of the total), amounting to a total of 9.3 billion euros (86.6% of the total). In the 2nd quarter of 2026, buyers with a tax residence outside the National Territory purchased 1,890 dwellings (4.7% of the total), representing a year-on-year reduction of 10.3%.

The Industrial Production Price Index (IPPI) recorded a year-on-year increase of 7.2% in August, accelerating by 1.5 percentage points (p.p.) from the previous month. The Energy and Intermediate Goods groupings made the largest contributions to this increase, accounting for 6.4 p.p. combined, reflecting year-on-year increases of 22.8% and 7.4%, respectively.

On a monthly basis, the index recorded a change rate of 0.8% (-0.6% in August 2025).

The implicit interest rate for all housing loan agreements increased from 3.135% in July to 3.162% in August. For the contracts that were closed in the previous three months, the interest rate stood at 2.910%, the same value as in the previous month. The average amount of owed capital increased 725 Euros, reaching 80,188 Euros. The average value of loan repayments increased 4 Euros to 418 Euros, 24 Euros above the value observed in August 2025. In the last month, interest represented 50.0% of the average repayments. In the contracts signed in the last 3 months, the average value of loan repayments increased 13 Euros from the previous month to 744 euros (14.3% higher than in the same month of the previous year).  

In August 2026, there were 9,021 deaths, 505 less (-5.3%) than in the previous month. Compared to the same month of 2025, there was a decrease of 906 deaths (-9.1%). The number of deaths of children under 1 year of age was 19, four less than in August 2025.

In July 2026, 7,566 live births were registered, 410 more (+5.7%) than in June 2026, but 236 less (-3.0%) compared to the same month of 2025.

In July 2026, the natural balance was -1,935, having improved in relation to the same month of 2025, when it reached -2,083.

In July 2026, 4,691 marriages were celebrated, 390 more (+9.1%) than in June 2026 and 386 more (+9.0%) than in July 2025.

Statistics Portugal released the main results of the National Health Survey 2025 (INS 2025) on June 24, 2026. This Press Release provides a more detailed analysis of information relating to access to healthcare in 2025 in the following dimensions:

• hospital care, noting that 62.6% of those who reported having been hospitalized in the 12 months prior to the interview were 55 years of age or older;

• health care consultations, highlighting that 76.7% of the population with higher education has consulted a dentist in the 12 months prior to the interview;

• consumption of medicines, with the results showing that the highest percentage of non-prescribed medicines use is recorded among the population aged 35 to 44 years (40.4%);

• preventive care, indicating that, at the end of 2025, just over half of the population aged 50 and over reported having had a colonoscopy in the previous 10 years;

• reproductive health, concluding that the contraceptive pill is the most widely used method of contraception, having been reported by 61.5% of women aged 15 to 55 years who had used a contraceptive method in the 30 days prior to the interview;

• absence from work for health reasons, which was more expressive for women: 32.8% of employed women were absent from work due to health problems for at least one day in the 12 months prior to the interview; for men, it was 29.8%;

• health literacy, for which indicators show that literacy levels increase with length of schooling.

The Index of Production in Construction increased 1.8% in year-on-year terms (3-month moving average, working days and seasonally adjusted) in July, down by 0.2 percentage points from June.

The employment and wages indices rose 1.7% and 8.5% in July, respectively (2.1% and 8.3% in the previous month).

In July 2026, 7.7 million passengers and 23.8 thousand tonnes of freight and mail were handled at national airports, corresponding to year-on-year variations of +2.0% and +4.4%, respectively (-0.2% and +3.4%, in the previous month, in the same order).

In that month, there was a daily average of 128.5 thousand passengers disembarked, 2.0% higher than July 2025.

Between January and July 2026, the number of passengers handled increased 2.4% and the movement of freight and mail 1.0% (+4.9% and +2.6% in the same period of 2025, in the identical order).

The United Kingdom remained the main country of origin and destination of flights. France, Spain, Germany and Italy retained, respectively, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th positions between the main countries of origin and of destination.

Consult the information on the Interactive Application (available only in Portuguese).