Statistical Press Release – Balance of payments - November 2019
Up to November 2019 the combined current and capital account balance stood at €1,209 million, compared with €3,415 million in the same period in 2018 (Chart 1).
This decline in the balance was due to all components, excluding the primary income account (Chart 2).
The goods account deficit increased by €1,622 million and the services account surplus declined by €507 million year on year (Chart 3).
In the first eleven months of the year, exports of goods and services grew by 3.1% (2.8% in goods and 3.6% in services) and imports rose by 5.8% (4.7% in goods and 11.1% in services).
The primary account deficit decreased by €311 million compared to the same period one year earlier, to -€3,981 million. This was mainly due to a decrease in interest paid to non-residents.
Up to November 2019 the financial account balance saw a €1,765 million increase in net foreign assets in Portugal (Chart 4). Investment by the financial sector, excluding the Central Bank, in public debt issued by countries in the Monetary Union made an important contribution to this result. In contrast, investment of non-residents in resident non-financial corporations and Treasury bonds issued by Portugal was particularly noteworthy.
Next update: 19 Feb. 2020
