The Portuguese economy registered a net lending of 0.4% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the year ending in the second quarter of 2019 (0.5% in the first quarter of 2019). The result was determined by the more negative balance of goods and services transactions with the Rest of the World.
Gross Savings and Gross Capital Formation (GCF) recorded an identical change rate of 2.1% in the year ending in the second quarter of 2019. The increase in GCF was particularly significant in the Non-Financial Corporations sector where Investment rate reached 25.9%.
The net lending of Households diminished to 1.0% of GDP in the second quarter 2019, 0.4 p.p. less than in the previous quarter. The saving rate decreased to 5.9% of gross disposable income, mainly reflecting the increase of 0.8% of final consumption expenditure.
General Government (GG) recorded a surplus of 0.2% of GDP in the year ending the second quarter of 2019. Taking quarterly figures as a reference, the GG balance was negative in second quarter of 2019, reaching -1.6 % of GDP (-3.2% in the same period of the previous year). Considering the first half of 2019, the GG balance was -0.8% (-2.2% in the same period of 2018).