Guatemala: Economic growth picks up in Q3 2025
GDP growth accelerates in Q3: Guatemala’s GDP expanded 4.3% on a year-on-year basis in Q3, marking a three-quarter high, following 4.1% growth in the previous quarter.
Domestic demand drives the improvement: Domestic demand was behind the acceleration; compared to the previous period’s data, figures in Q3 improved for private consumption (+5.0% in annual terms vs +4.5% in Q2), government consumption (+8.0% vs +7.4% in Q2), fixed investment (+10.4% vs +9.6% in Q2) and imports of goods and services (+8.9% vs +6.6% in Q2). In contrast, the reading for exports of goods and services worsened in Q3 (-2.4% vs +2.3% in Q2).
Private spending growth was bolstered by an increase in formal employment and remittance inflows, whereas public consumption rose at a faster pace thanks to higher spending on public sector wages and education-related programs. Fixed investment growth also picked up as a result of public infrastructure projects.
Less positively, net trade detracted from growth, as import growth accelerated in Q3 vs Q2, while exports of goods and services fell for the first time since Q1 2024 on softer external demand likely tied to U.S. tariffs and global trade uncertainty.