Honduras Economy News

Analyst Henry Rodríguez says Honduras must invest approximately $4.2 billion annually to generate between 70,000 and 80,000 jobs per year.

Family remittances made up 52 cents of every dollar in Honduras's national income during the first half of 2026, while budget execution reached only 35 percent, according to the Finance Ministry.

Fuel prices will drop by 2 to 4 lempiras per liter starting Monday, according to the Energy Ministry's new weekly price structure.

A World Bank report shows digital employment and remote work are growing in Central America but remain limited outside Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, held back by poor connectivity, lack of devices, and weak digital skills in most countries.

The Inter-American Development Bank says Central American and Dominican economies face heightened global volatility and must build fiscal space, strengthen currency flexibility (especially Honduras and Nicaragua), and shore up foreign reserves to cushion external financial shocks.

Honduras's basic food basket has risen more than 700 lempiras (about $28) since January, according to academic economists.

Alexander Godoy, a STENEE union representative, says a review of Honduras's electricity subsidy aims to ensure benefits reach only low-income families while eliminating aid to vacation homes and vacant properties, allowing state utility ENEE to strengthen its finances and reduce costs.

Honduras recorded a current-account surplus of $763.7 million in the first quarter of 2026, driven by strong family remittances and rising exports, particularly coffee.

Congress President Tomás Zambrano announced a proposal to restructure agricultural and livestock producers' debts at 2.5% interest, with about 15 billion lempiras (roughly $600 million) in funding identified from the Latin American development bank to support the sector.

Economist Henry Rodríguez says Honduras's budget execution is tracking at only 32% through June due to delays in budget approval and cabinet formation, with 26.2% committed to salaries and 27% to debt service, leaving little room for public investment.

Honduras's net international reserves have accumulated $1.13 billion since January 27, the central bank reported as of June 25, while import coverage held steady at 6.6 months.

Honduras's net international investment position stood at minus $11.23 billion in the first quarter of 2026, an improvement of $1.27 billion from the end of 2025 as the country reduced its net debtor position.

An economist at Fosdeh argues that recent declines in diesel prices justify revising public transport fares that were raised months ago as a temporary measure tied to fuel costs.

Transport operators say they will not reduce urban bus fares in the capital until diesel and gasoline fall to L75 (about $3) per gallon, citing insufficient relief from current fuel-price declines.

The Central Bank's Global Real Effective Exchange Rate Index rose 2.34% year-over-year in May 2026, marking five consecutive months of improved export competitiveness driven by favorable exchange-rate movements.

The Central Bank of Honduras auctioned $93.8 million in its daily currency sale on June 26, setting the exchange rate at L26.7217 per dollar for the weekend and Monday.

As of March 2026, Honduras's foreign-exchange reserves reached 144.4% of the IMF's recommended sufficiency level (100%–150%), exceeding the prudential threshold and bolstering the country's ability to withstand external economic shocks.

Honduras's public external debt reached $10.76 billion as of March 2026, up $24.5 million from December 2025.

Honduras's Housing Ministry plans to subsidize home purchases for about 5,000 low-income families by year-end, allocating over 1 billion lempiras (about $40 million) in direct credits and state subsidies targeting households earning less than half the minimum wage.

Honduras's energy ministry announced a significant reduction in petroleum product prices effective Monday, June 29, continuing a downward trend in fuel costs.

Egg prices at Tegucigalpa's farmers market are unchanged this week—a 30-egg flat of large eggs at 95 lempiras (about $3.80)—but vendors warn that reduced supply, especially of large eggs, could push prices up next week.

Honduras's monthly trade deficit with China has surged to $256 million as of April 2026, with Chinese imports dominating the market while Honduran exports remain minimal, a deepening asymmetry since Honduras shifted diplomatic ties from Taiwan to mainland China in 2023.

Honduras's banking system credit portfolio growth decelerated to 8% year-over-year in April 2026 from over 17% a year earlier, driven by lower interest rates, inflation pressuring household incomes, and weak demand for business and consumer loans despite improved bank liquidity.

CGT leader Daniel Durón argues that the part-time employment law has not reduced joblessness because the real problems are informal work (affecting 70% of the workforce) and low wages—80% of salaried workers earn under L10,000 (about $400) monthly.

The government and domestic onion producers agreed to permit imports from July onward to maintain supply and stable prices as the eastern region's harvest winds down, while prioritizing local purchases during harvest seasons.

Honduras imports over 40 million pounds of avocados annually at a cost of $12–15 million in foreign exchange, and producers say strengthening domestic cultivation across the country's 1,200 farms could reduce dependency and support the agricultural economy.

The Central Bank auctioned $93.8 million in foreign currency on June 24, setting the weighted average exchange rate at L26.7170 per dollar for June 25.

Honduras's state food-supply agency Banasupro began a three-month program on June 24 to hold basic food prices steady and offer discounts of up to 10% through partnerships with private suppliers across its 121 nationwide stores.

The CNBS Gender Gap Report 2025 shows men hold more bank accounts per capita in Honduras's high-activity economic regions, while women show higher financial participation in rural areas and the country's western region.

Honduras's tax authority (SAR) reminds taxpayers that June 30 is the deadline to pay the first installment of estimated quarterly taxes, with payment available online to avoid penalties.