For the second quarter of 2021, Guatemala was ranked as the main buyer of confectionery and chocolates in Central America, the largest supplier of these products was the United States.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graphic"]
In the second quarter of 2021, Guatemala is positioned as the largest importer in the Central American region with $32.3 million, during this period the main country supplying tires for trucks and buses is China.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graphic"]
For the first quarter 2021, in the Central American region, who positioned itself as the largest importer of water heaters was Costa Rica, the country as the main supplier is Brazil.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graphic"]
During the first quarter of 2021, the largest importer in Central America was Guatemala with $14 million, the main supplier was Japan with 47.6% of the market.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graphic"]
Guatemala continued to be the main importer in the region during the first quarter of 2021 with $15.7 million, in Central America there was an increase in purchases of 4.26%.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graphic"]
Fifteen months after the beginning of the health and economic crisis, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua are the economies in the region with the highest inflation rates, a behavior that was influenced by increases in fuel and transportation costs.
In the second quarter of 2020, a period in which the countries of the region were going through a severe economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 outbreak, inflation levels were low and in some economies negative variations were reported.
After the Economic Activity Confidence Index reported a 19% drop in March 2020, in April the situation worsened with a -43% year-on-year variation, a drop that agrees with the advance of the health crisis in the country.
In April 2020, the level of the Economic Activity Confidence Index stood at 32.64 points, 43.25% lower than that recorded in March 2020 (57.52 points) and fell by 26.83% compared to April 2019 (44.61 points), reported the Bank of Guatemala.
At the end of 2019, economic activity in Guatemala grew 3%, behavior that was explained in part by the performance of the commercial and construction sectors.
From the Bank of Guatemala report:
During December 2019 the economic activity measured by the IMAE estimate, registered a 3.1% growth rate with respect to December 2018 (2.2%).
This behavior was explained by the positive result mainly experienced by the economic activities of Commerce and vehicle repair; Construction; Real estate activities; Financial and insurance activities; and Agriculture, livestock, forestry and fishing, which had a greater influence on the growth rate of the total IMAE.
During the first month of the year, family remittances sent to Guatemala registered a 22% year-on-year variation, a rise that exceeds the 8% increase registered in the same period in 2018.
According to the most recent figures from the Bank of Guatemala, in January 2020 the country received remittances of $834 million, an amount that exceeds by $46 million that registered in the same month of 2019.
In January, the Economic Activity Confidence Index registered a 39% increase compared to the same month in 2019, reinforcing the upward trend that has been reported since July 2019.
An inflationary rhythm of 3.72% is forecast for January, 3.71% for February and 3.84% for March 2020. As to December 2020 and 2021, the Panel forecasts an inflationary rhythm of 4.07% and 4.19%, in that order.
Trade and vehicle repair were the activities that, during November 2019, explained the 3.4% year-on-year variation in the IMAE.
In November last year, the Monthly Index of Economic Activity (IMAE) slowed down for the second consecutive month, from 4.3% to 3.7% between September and October, and in the eleventh month it fell to 3.4%, reported the Bank of Guatemala.
A few days before the new government takes office in Guatemala, the Economic Activity Confidence Index reported a 21% year-on-year growth.
Figures from the Bank of Guatemala indicate that in December 2019 the country's Confidence in Economic Activity Index (Icae) reported a considerable increase compared to the same month in 2018, a performance that reinforces the upward trend it has been registering since July last year.
Last year, family remittances sent to Guatemala totaled $10.508 million, 13% more than what was reported in 2018.
According to the latest figures from the Bank of Guatemala, in December 2019 the country received remittances of $941 million, an amount that exceeds by 12% the $843 million registered in the same month in 2018.
Between 2013 and 2019 remittance income has almost doubled, as figures rose from $5,105 million in 2013 to $10,508 million in 2019.
During December 2019, the CPI registered a 3.4% variation with respect to the same month of the previous year, an inflationary rhythm higher than the 2.3% reported at the end of 2018.
The most important inflation levels of December 2019 are the following: a monthly inflation of 0.60% was registered, an inflationary rhythm of 3.41% and an accumulated inflation of 3.41%, informed the National Statistics Institute (INE).