An inflation-busting January rise for EDP customers, all 2.5 million of them, is designed to prod them into shifting their contracts to one of the new wave of suppliers in the allegedly liberalised market.

The old EDP is forcing its most loyal customers to pay 3.3% more next January for the same brand of electricity they were buying in December.  An average rise of 3.3% for domestic consumers represents an increase of €1.14 on the average monthly bill of €35.

Agricultural workers in Portugal saw their income drop by 3.2% in 2014 compared to the previous year.

The average across all of the 28 members of the EU was a fall of 1.7%.

Following a new strategy the Pousadas de Portugal chain of hotels has announced that it now will allow small dogs up to 15 kilos to have access to parts of some hotels.

The three remaining Algarve Pousadas in Estoi, Tavira and Sagres will allow dogs as from December 15th which "solves the problem many families have when wishing  to enjoy a vacation this holiday season, but not wanting to leave their faithful friends behind."

Fuel prices in Portugal continue to fall back to levels not seen since 2009 with gasoline dropping a further 4 cents tomorrow and diesel heading for a 3 cent drop at the pumps.

Following international oil price market trends, fuels in Portugal are around 20 cents a litre lower than at this time last year.

About 20 international funds, including the Brazilian BTG Pactual and the American fund Third Point have lodged a complaint in the European Union General Court requesting the annulment of the European Commission's decision to approve the Banco Espírito Santo break up in August 2014.

If successful the group of big hitters will achieve the aim of delaying or cancelling the government’s sale of Novo Banco scheduled for early 2015.

McDonald’s UK business has turned from downsize to upsize in the last decade.

The company began operating in Britain exactly 40 years ago – 1974.

The person accused of lifting the lid on Luxembourg’s tax deals with dozens of multinational companies has had the book thrown at him – or her, as the identity of the accused is being kept secret.

Whoever it is, they are now accused of all sorts of misdeeds as the LuxLeaks revelations severely embarrassed the current president of the EU, Jean-Claude Juncker who was the Luxembourg PM for a decade.

A Walt Disney Christmas cartoon film, believed lost, has been found near the Arctic Circle.

Empty Socks, the first Christmas film ever made by Disney, dates from 1927.