Lisbon, May 25, 2026 (Lusa) - Portugal's central bank, Banco de Portugal, announced on Monday that debt in the non-financial sector, which includes public administration, businesses, and households, rose by €5.4 billion in March, reaching €868.1 billion.

Of this total, €489.3 billion related to the private sector (private companies and households) and €378.8 billion to the public sector (public administrations and state-owned enterprises).

In March, private sector debt grew by €3.8 billion, with household debt rising by €1.6 billion, primarily owed to banks in the form of mortgages.

Private company debt increased by €2.2 billion, mostly to the financial sector and foreign entities through loans and debt securities.

Regarding public sector debt, this rose by €1.7 billion, driven mainly by obligations to the financial sector due to commercial bank investments in government bonds, and public administration, stemming from an increase in deposit liabilities with the Treasury and debt securities held within this sector's portfolio.

MES/MYAL // AYLS

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