Paraguay's sales accelerate in April, ECN grows 5.5% in four months

Paraguay's sales activity showed expansive performance in April, with the Estimator of Business Figures (ECN) registering a 3% year-on-year increase. This growth signals continued demand dynamism across various productive sectors, according to preliminary data from the Central Bank of Paraguay (BCP).

The cumulative growth for the first four months of 2026 reached 5.5%, official reports indicate. The April expansion was primarily fueled by strong performances in services, commerce, and manufacturing sectors. The ECN, a short-term indicator, measures economic activity from the demand side, averaging sales declared to the National Directorate of Tax Revenue (DNIT).

Within the services sector, a wide range of activities reported increased sales, including transportation and storage, information services, real estate, restaurants and hotels, household services, and business services. This indicates a broad-based recovery, encompassing logistics-related services as well as those tied to urban consumption and lifestyle.

The commercial sector also saw improvements across various segments. Notable increases were reported in vehicle sales and maintenance, retail sales of technology, wholesale of machinery and equipment, wholesale of fertilizers and agrochemicals, sales of pharmaceutical products, home equipment, fuel, department stores, clothing, and food products. However, the commercial landscape also presented contrasts, with some segments like wholesale of technology and agricultural raw materials experiencing negative sales.

Manufacturing also contributed to the year-on-year growth in April. The ECN reported sales increases in diverse industrial branches, including chemicals, oils, beverages and tobacco, non-metallic mineral products, sugar, dairy, and common metals.