The Portuguese Gross Domestic Product (GDP) registered a year-on-year increase of 1.3% in volume in the first quarter 2014 (1.5% in the previous quarter). Net external demand presented a significant negative contribution to the GDP year-on-year change rate (-1.6 percentage points), after a positive contribution in the fourth quarter (1.0 percentage points). This evolution was mainly driven by the deceleration of Exports of Goods and Services, but also by the acceleration of Imports of Goods and Services. Domestic demand recorded a stronger positive contribution in the first quarter, shifting from 0.5 percentage points in the fourth quarter to 2.8 percentage points, driven largely by the evolution of Investment.
Comparing with the fourth quarter, the Portuguese GDP diminished 0.6% (increase of 0.5% in the previous quarter), reflecting mostly the reduction of Exports of Goods and Services and the deceleration of Investment.