According to international trade statistics, the decreases in exports and imports of fuels and lubricants (-44.1% and -43.7%, respectively) particularly in exports of processed products and imports of primary products, may be related to the closure for maintenance of the Sines refinery in August.

Excluding fuels and lubricants, exports increased by 0.6% in August and imports grew by 4.4% (-3.0% and +9.7%, respectively, in July 2019).

In July, exports had increased by 1.3% and imports had risen by 9.5%.