LatinNews Daily - 22 August 2023

* Honduras’s central bank (BCH) has released new figures which show that the national economy grew by 2.9% in the first six months of 2023. Economic growth in the first half of the year was up 4.8% as compared to the same period of the previous year. In a statement, the BCH stated that this growth reflected “resilience despite international economic deceleration, high inflation, persisting uncertainty, and low external demand from key trading partners”. This increase is partly accredited to revenues from interest on loans and commissions, as a greater availability of credit and loans has increased economic activity across multiple sectors, most notably commerce, real estate, construction and food manufacturing. There were also increases recorded by the telecommunications and internet sectors. The BCH also said that the tourism industry has stimulated growth in the hospitality sector, as well as noting growth in the agriculture, electricity and water sectors.