Colombia Industrial Output Rebounds 1.4%

2026-04-16 15:38 By Juan Quintana 1 min. read

Colombia’s industrial production grew 1.4% year-on-year in February 2026, a sharp reversal from the 0.5% decline in January and beating market expectations of 0.6%.

The expansion was driven by a stronger performance across sectors, with 20 out of 39 industrial activities posting growth.

Significant increases were recorded in motor vehicles (26.0%), petroleum refining (11.9%), beverage manufacturing (7.7%), pharmaceutical products (9.2%), and transport equipment (22.0%).

In contrast, several sectors faced challenges, including iron and steel (-20.5%), basic chemicals (-11.6%), coffee threshing (-38.5%), and cacao and chocolate (-21.9%).

Meanwhile, retail sales declined 2.5% and industrial employment fell 0.4%, reflecting that while production has regained momentum, consumer demand and labor market recovery still face significant headwinds in the current economic environment.



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