Panama: Inflation edges up in April
Consumer prices rose 0.19% month-on-month in April, coming in above the 0.10% increase observed in March. According to the National Comptroller’s Office (Contraloría General de la República), April’s print reflected higher prices in 3 of the 12 components of the index, with transportation, and alcoholic beverages and tobacco recording the sharpest increases.
Inflation came in at 0.8% in April, above the 0.6% figure recorded in March. Given Panama’s dollarized economy, authorities lack the freedom to use monetary policy or exchange rate adjustments to influence inflation. Meanwhile, annual average inflation remained steady in April at the 0.6% print observed in March.