LISBON, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Portugal’s pulp and paper producer Navigator reported on Tuesday a 60% jump in third-quarter net profit and said the reopening of the global economy amid accelerating vaccination against COVID-19 made for a positive business outlook.

Navigator, which sells more than 80% of its output abroad in as many as 130 countries, netted 49.8 million euros ($58 million) in the period.

Total sales grew over 16% from a year ago to 404.9 million euros, and rose over 8% form the preceding quarter thanks to higher paper volumes sold and rising pulp prices, the company said.

"In the paper business, the expected economic upturn, combined with an improvement in the balance between supply and demand in the United States and Europe... allow for good prospects for the end of 2021," it said in a statement.

In the pulp market, cooling demand in China and increasing supply is causing prices to fall in China, a trend it said "may continue, but at a significantly lower pace, during the fourth quarter."

But it added that in Europe "prices should remain supported by the post-pandemic economic recovery, the good level of demand and the logistical difficulties in exporting from Latin America to Europe".

Navigator's EBITDA - earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation - rose almost 36% in the quarter from a year ago to hit 95.5 million euros.

($1 = 0.8561 euros) (Reporting by Sergio Goncalves; editing by Andrei Khalip)