According to the latest Informa D&B barometer, this slowdown has been evident since the start of 2026, bringing figures closer to recent historical averages following the strong growth seen in 2025.

Conversely, the business ecosystem saw the closure of nearly 7,000 companies and the initiation of 1,216 new insolvency proceedings, representing a 5% increase in this indicator.

Of the bankruptcies and closures recorded through July, more than half, approximately 51% of the total, occurred in the business services, retail, general services, and accommodation and food service sectors.

Regarding insolvencies, the barometer highlights a significant worsening in real estate activities (up 107%) and the restaurant sector (up 23%).

Furthermore, nearly a quarter of new insolvency proceedings were concentrated in the textile and fashion and construction sectors, with closures most frequent in major urban centres and areas with high business density. Over a twelve-month horizon, 14,372 companies ceased operations since August of last year; however, this figure reflects an 8.6% reduction compared to the same period a year earlier.

In the realm of entrepreneurship, four business sectors accounted for 59% of the new companies established in the country during the first seven months of 2026, totalling 19,024 new incorporations across business services, construction, general services, and real estate.

The only exceptions to the general trend of decline were the construction sector, which grew by 12% with 4,818 new companies, notably driven by activity in the Lisbon, Porto, Braga, and Setúbal districts, and information and communication technologies, which rose by 5.1% with 2,400 new companies, spurred by consulting and programming.

Conversely, the agriculture and livestock sector recorded the sharpest decline, with a 34% drop in the creation of new businesses. This slowdown in business activity extended to almost every district in the country, with the only positive exceptions being Santarém (up 3.3%), Coimbra (up 2.1%), and Vila Real (up 1.1%).