LatinNews Daily - 23 September 2025

*Panama’s national statistics institute (Inec) has released new figures showing that the country’s GDP grew 3.4% in the second quarter of 2025 compared with the same quarter in 2024. This compares with growth of 5.2% in the first quarter of 2025 year-on-year, 4.8% in the fourth quarter of 2024, 2.0% in the third quarter of 2024, and 2.2% in the second. Growth was driven by sectors including Panama Canal operations which posted a 24.1% increase in revenue from tolls. However notable declines were posted in sectors such as banana exports which were down 69.1% in the second quarter year-on-year. This reflects the impact of the banana workers’ strike earlier this year as part of a general strike over reforms to the social security system (CSS), among other complaints. In its latest forecast released last month, the United Nations (UN) Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (Eclac) predicts that Panama will post 4.2% GDP growth in 2025, up from 2.9% in 2024. This is above the 2.6% average for Central America forecast for 2025.

End of preview - This article contains approximately 185 words.

Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article

Not a Subscriber?

Choose from one of the following options

• Subscribe
• Sign up for a one-time, 14-day trial