Exports slow down growth and imports pick up the speed

Portuguese exports slowed to a growth rate of just 1.9% while imports grew 3.2% in 2014, boosting the trade gap to €10.56 billion, the Portuguese National Statistics Institute (INE) said on Monday.

The INE said that in 2013, exports grew at 4.5%, quite a lot more than imports which were at 0.9% leaving a trade gap of €925.8 million less than in 2014.

Excluding fuels and lubricants, exports increased 4.3% and imports 6.0% in 2014.