Portugal's imports up 36.8 pct in Q1

Portuguese imports grew 36.8 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, the country's National Institute of Statistics (INE) said Tuesday.

Exports surged 18.2 percent from a year ago, the INE noted, adding that Portugal's industrial supplies saw a 38.9 percent growth.

In March, Portuguese exports and imports registered year-on-year increases of 13.6 percent and 30 percent, respectively.

The highlight was in the sector of industrial supplies, with a 24.8 percent jump in both exports and imports, while imports of fuels and lubricants shot up by 132.8 percent, according to the official statistics body.

The institute underlined a 188.6 percent upsurge of Portugal's imports from the United States in March -- mainly fuels and lubricants, such as liquefied natural gas and crude petroleum oils.

The trade balance deficit in goods increased by 1,290 million euros (1,358 million U.S. dollars) compared to the same month of 2021, reaching 2,415 million euros (2,543 million dollars), the INE added.