Guatemala City, Dec. 13 - The construction sector in Guatemala currently shows the highest economic growth, at 8.3 percent, among the 17 activities that make up the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
This is followed by the financial and insurance sectors, with 7.9 percent, and accommodation and food services (5.4 percent), according to a report by a local news outlet based on a monetary policy evaluation report.
Remittances are expected to close 2025 with a 19 percent increase, reaching 25.597 billion dollars, while next year a slowdown of five percent is anticipated, noted the newspaper Prensa Libre.
The Guatemalan economy is projected to finish this annual period with a 4.1 percent increase, and the same percentage is projected for the coming year, the report added.
There is significant consensus that the country should grow five percent each year, explained the President of the Central Bank, Álvaro González, for whom the potential GDP is 3.5 percent and it currently stands at 4.1 percent.
In the medium term, he commented, efforts should focus on becoming more productive, promoting structural reforms, and encouraging domestic, foreign, public, and private investment.
When presenting the report, officials stated that to surpass a five percent annual growth rate, the economy requires an investment of 30 billion dollars in the next five years, about six billion per year.
They warned that this investment already has identified destinations, mainly in infrastructure such as roads, rural paths, ports, and airports, without neglecting social spending in areas like health and education.
The meeting also revealed that exports are expected to register a six percent increase in 2025 and imports a seven percent increase.
For the following year, growth in exports is projected to range from five to seven percent, and imports from six to eight percent.
Foreign direct investment will close the current annual period at 1.875 billion dollars and is estimated at 2.065 billion for 2026, emphasized the Bank of Guatemala.
