Portugal’s economic momentum ground to a halt at the start of 2026, with gross domestic product (GDP) growth coming in at 0.0% quarter-over-quarter in the first quarter, according to data updated on 30 April 2026.
The stagnation marks a sharp loss of pace from the fourth quarter of 2025, when the economy expanded by 0.9% compared with the previous quarter. In line with the quarter-over-quarter comparison, the latest reading shows that activity in the first three months of 2026 neither grew nor contracted versus the final quarter of last year.
The publication highlights a clear slowdown in Portugal’s short-term growth trajectory, as the strong quarter-on-quarter expansion seen at the end of 2025 has failed to carry over into 2026. Investors and policymakers will now be focused on whether the flat first-quarter performance proves to be a temporary pause or the start of a more prolonged period of weaker growth.
