Ecuador: GDP growth slows further in Q4, but remains relatively healthy
GDP increased 4.9% in annual terms in the fourth quarter, below Q3’s 5.6% expansion, largely due to a less favorable base effect as conditions continued to strengthen in sequential terms.
Slower growth at the tail end of the year was predominately due to softer domestic demand dynamics. Fixed investment growth eased to 3.9% in Q4 (Q3: +9.9% yoy), while private consumption growth also slowed to 9.6% (Q3: +13.1% yoy). Meanwhile, government consumption growth accelerated to 4.4% in Q4 (Q3: +0.6%)
On the external front, exports of goods and services declined 3.7% in Q4 (Q3: -0.2%), while imports of goods and services grew 7.3% (Q3: +24.2%).
Lastly, on a seasonally-adjusted quarter-on-quarter basis, economic growth accelerated to 0.7%, following Q3’s 0.4% expansion.