Latest news and stories about investment in Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal for expats and residents.
The Lisbon Stock Exchange reversed its opening trend, with the main index, the PSI, falling 0.08% to 9,167.57 points.
On Tuesday, the Lisbon stock exchange closed higher, with the PSI rising 0.50% to 9,175.24 points.
Conservatism and lower investment capacity are driving a slower adoption of artificial intelligence in Portugal. This was one of the conclusions of the first 'Future in Action: Learning from Top Performers' meeting, promoted by NTT Data with Expresso as media partner, which took place this morning in Lisbon.
Room00 Next Gen Hospitality plans to invest between 330 and 420 million euros in 20 new hotels across Portugal, Spain, Italy, and the UK by 2026. Portugal is a key growth market, with 60 to 80 million euros earmarked for three new properties in Lisbon and Porto, adding 217 rooms. The expansion is backed by a 400 million euro funding round led by King Street, focusing on acquiring and repositioning urban hotel assets to cater to Gen Y and Gen Z travellers.
Bauer Media has chosen Portugal for its new technology centre, which will monitor all of the group's digital activity, with plans to hire 15 specialists, the CEO of the Portuguese subsidiary told Lusa today. The group announced the creation of a new technology hub in Portugal, strengthening its investment in the Portuguese market.
Portugal is investing €95 million, funded by the European NextGenerationEU program, to modernize the signaling system on its Northern Line, which connects Lisbon and Porto. This upgrade aims to digitize traffic control, enhance cybersecurity, and prepare the line for high-speed rail service, including the future Lisbon–Porto high-speed line expected to be operational by 2032. The project is part of Portugal’s broader efforts to improve rail safety, efficiency, and sustainability, supporting the country’s green and digital transition. Key stations such as Campolide, Oriente, Alverca do Ribatejo, and Azambuja are included in the modernization plan.
The implementation of Mário Draghi's recommendations remains slow, limiting investment, productivity, growth, and employment in Europe, according to the Reform Barometer by BusinessEurope, the largest European business confederation, of which the CIP–Confederation of Portuguese Business is a member. 'Only about 11% of the recommendations presented by Draghi in September 2024 have been implemented to date,' says Rafael Alves Rocha, Director-General of the CIP, in a statement. This situation leads the organization to assert that 'political messages in defence of competitiveness are not enough; urgent measures are needed to clearly and immediately alleviate the burden on companies.' The topic will be debated at the conference 'European Competitiveness 18 months after the Draghi Report,' taking place tomorrow (March 17) at the Bank of Portugal's Money Museum in Lisbon. The event, organized with the support of the CIP, will feature the participation of the Assistant Secretary of State and Budget, João Maria Brandão de Brito. The debate will focus on the most urgent challenges for European growth, with contributions from officials from the Bank of Portugal, BusinessEurope, academia, financial institutions, and the CIP. Economists and representatives from the business sector are also expected to attend. The 2026 edition of the Reform Barometer, one of the main European publications dedicated to analyzing economic reforms and EU competitiveness, will be on the table, the statement says. This study is published annually and analyzes the performance of European economies in areas such as public finance, business environment, innovation and skills, access to finance, taxation, financial stability, and the labor market. In this edition, the barometer reveals that nearly 60% of national confederations, members of BusinessEurope, have a more favorable opinion of the European Commission's competitiveness and growth agenda than a year ago. However, only 19% of respondents point to an improvement in the EU's investment environment, while more than half see no change. About a third state that conditions have worsened. The conference program includes debates on the state of EU competitiveness in a context of increasing global competition, the next Multiannual Financial Framework and the role of cohesion policy in supporting investment, and the development of the Savings and Investments Union. Navigator heads towards the future with bets on tissue paper and coffee capsules; footwear sector invests 50 million to position itself as a supplier to the European military sector.
During the Microsoft Building the Future 2026 event in Lisbon, Microsoft's Southern Europe General Manager, Kristina Tikhonova, highlighted Portugal's rapid adoption of AI. With an ecosystem generating 7.3 billion euros for the national economy—expected to rise to 9 billion with the Sines investment—Portugal is currently a 'fast follower,' with an AI adoption rate of 24.2%, well above the global average of 16%. Tikhonova discussed the importance of cultural shifts in leadership, the role of 'Frontier Firms' in achieving high ROI, and the necessity of data consistency and cybersecurity training to sustain this growth.
Real estate agency Corcoran Atlantic has been chosen as one of the exclusive partners for sales and marketing operations for the Karl Lagerfeld Residences Lisbon project, taking on the promotion and commercialisation of the development in the North American market. The initiative is part of the international positioning strategy for one of the branded residential projects currently under development in the capital.
On Thursday, the Lisbon stock exchange closed higher, with the PSI index rising 0.83% to 9,152.04 points, bucking the trend of the main European markets.
The article reports that Lisbon's stock market is experiencing moderate declines, in line with broader European market trends. Notably, shares of Semapa and Mota-Engil have fallen more than 3%. The overall market sentiment reflects cautious investor behavior amid ongoing economic uncertainties in Portugal and Europe.
The imbalance between supply and demand persists, with 9,600 houses sold but only 4,250 licence applications for new homes. Lisbon is increasingly sought after by foreign investors and buyers.
On Wednesday, the Lisbon stock market closed higher, with the PSI index rising 0.58% to 9,076.37 points, driven by gains in Mota-Engil.
Euronext Lisbon announced this Wednesday that there will be no changes to the composition of the PSI, the main Portuguese stock index. The decision follows the quarterly review conducted by the Lisbon stock exchange operator, which concluded that there were no conditions for entries or exits from the index, which will therefore remain with the same 16 stocks.
Of the 16 listed companies that make up the PSI, 12 rose, three fell, and REN remained unchanged at 3.85 euros.
Under the theme of adapting, innovating, and leading, the Banking on Change conference brought several discussion panels to the Belém Cultural Centre (CCB) regarding the challenges and opportunities for the banking sector. The initiative featured an opening speech by the Minister of Finance, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento. Among the guest speakers were also...
Financial discipline is the top priority for the Mota-Engil Group through 2030, according to CEO Carlos Mota Santos. The company plans to nearly double its revenue to 9 billion euros by that year, up from 5.3 billion in 2025, while focusing on cash-flow generation, a stronger balance sheet, and a solvency ratio above 18%. The strategy rests on three pillars: growth in core engineering and construction markets, diversification through synergistic platforms, and strict financial discipline.
On the day that the Treasury and Public Debt Management Agency (IGCP) holds two Treasury Bond (OT) auctions, the CCB hosts the 'Banking on Change' conference, an initiative by the ECO newspaper and KPMG, which features an address by the Minister of Finance. Also locally, Mota-Engil...
The article reports that the Lisbon Stock Exchange opened the trading session in negative territory, with Sonae leading the gains among listed companies. It provides market updates, including stock quotations, commodities, interest rates, and technical and fundamental analyses. The coverage also includes broader economic topics such as fiscal policies, employment, and sector-specific news, reflecting a cautious start to the trading day in Portugal's financial markets.
European stock markets and the euro are experiencing declines as oil prices surge due to escalating conflict in the Middle East, particularly in Iran. US oil prices rose by 8% to $72.40 per barrel, while Brent crude increased by 8.8% to $79.30 per barrel. Natural gas futures in Europe saw a significant rise of over 40% following a production halt by Qatar. Gold prices also increased by 1.2% as investors sought safer assets amid uncertainty. Wall Street opened lower, with the Dow Jones down 0.70%, the Nasdaq down 0.58%, and the S&P 500 down 1.09%. In Europe, while the Lisbon stock exchange remained relatively stable, major markets like Madrid, Frankfurt, Paris, and London faced notable declines. The euro fell to $1.1703, down from $1.1817, and also weakened against the pound and yen.
Portugal is seeking to enhance its appeal to Middle Eastern investors, particularly from Qatar, by shifting its marketing strategy beyond just its favorable climate. In Doha, representatives from Startup Portugal are engaging with local entrepreneurs to promote investment opportunities in the country.
The government is set to move forward with CP's international tender for 12 high-speed trains, expected to be finalized this year. The arrival of these trains is projected for 2032, enabling the launch of high-speed service on the Porto-Lisbon route in the same year.
Lisbon’s PSI index has carried 2025’s strong finish into 2026, with retail, banking and energy stocks drawing the biggest investor interest despite recent volatility tied to global geopolitical developments. Analysts argue the index remains well positioned for another positive year, though they warn that elevated macro and geopolitical risk could produce bouts of market turbulence and uneven sector performance.
Benfica members approved the “Benfica District” project at an extraordinary General Assembly, with 59.24% voting in favour. The development — a campaign pledge of re-elected president Rui Costa — aims to transform the area around the Estádio da Luz, increase stadium capacity and will have material implications for the club's revenue streams, the local property market and urban infrastructure planning.
