European stock markets have opened sharply lower as tensions escalate in the Middle East. US President Donald Trump has threatened to destroy Iranian power plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened, while Iran has vowed to retaliate against energy infrastructure in the Gulf region. The International Energy Agency (IEA) warns that the conflict has already resulted in a loss of 11 million barrels of oil per day, surpassing the impact of the 1970s oil crises combined.
War could cause the worst energy crisis in decades, warns the IEA
Monday, 23 March 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
Inflation measures how much general prices rise over time, usually reported year‑on‑year to compare a month with the same month a year earlier. Portugal’s National Institute of Statistics (INE) estimated January inflation at 1.9% year‑on‑year, down 0.3 percentage points from December, which affects rents, wages and everyday purchasing power for residents.
