Guatemala: Economic activity grows at the fastest pace in six months in January
Economic activity expanded 4.4% compared to the same month a year earlier in January, which followed December’s upwardly revised 2.9% increase. January’s figure marked the best reading since July 2023. Looking at the details of the release, stronger activity in the manufacturing, construction and real estate sectors drove the improvement. Increased growth in financial services added momentum.
Accordingly, the trend improved, with the annual average growth of economic activity coming in at 3.6% in January, up from December’s 3.5%.
Meanwhile, on the external front, merchandise exports expanded for the first time in over one year in January, growing 1.8% year on year (December: -7.8% yoy). Conversely, the annual increase in remittance inflows undershot its Q4 average, boding negatively for the private spending outturn in January.