Colombia Industrial Production Rebounds in June

Colombia’s industrial production rose 4.1% year-on-year in June 2026, rebounding from a 0.4% decline in May and beating forecasts of 2.1%. Of the 39 industrial activities covered by the survey, 24 recorded positive changes. The largest increases were recorded in the manufacture of other transport equipment (22.0%), motor vehicle bodies and trailers (19.2%), luggage, handbags and similar leather goods (16.2%), motor vehicles and their engines (16.5%), and beverages (15.3%). Real sales rose 3.9%, while employment fell 1.1%.

Colombia's industrial production fell 0.4% year-on-year in May 2026, reversing a 2.0% increase in the previous month and defying expectations of a 1.3% expansion. This marks the first decline following four consecutive months with increases, as output declined in 25 of the 39 industrial categories. The largest decreases were recorded in the processing and preserving of meat, fish, crustaceans, and molluscs (-10.7%), manufacture of apparel (-11.3%), spinning, weaving, and finishing of textiles (-20.8%), basic iron and steel industries (-10.6%), and manufacture of cocoa, chocolate, and confectionery (-18.1%). Offsetting part of the decline were gains in the manufacture of beverages (9.1%), sugar and unrefined cane sugar (62.1%), and soaps and detergents (5.7%). Meanwhile, industrial employment continued to contract, with the decline widening to 1.0% year-on-year in May from 0.9% in the previous month.

Industrial production in Colombia rose 2.0% year-on-year in April 2026, slowing from a 3.9% increase in March and falling short of market expectations for a 3.0% gain. Growth was driven by higher output in beverage manufacturing (5.8%), sugar and panela production (40.1%), transport equipment manufacturing (33.7%), and coking, petroleum refining, and fuel blending (5.7%). Limiting the overall increase, production declined in several sectors, including basic chemicals and chemical products (-12.1%), cocoa, chocolate, and confectionery (-21.9%), paper, cardboard, and paper products (-6.3%), and meat processing and preservation (-5.8%). Meanwhile, employment fell 0.9% in April, deepening from a 1.0% decline in March and marking the weakest reading in eleven months.