Browse Honduras Daily Stories

Honduras's business-confidence index (ICAE) reached 63.9 points in June 2026, its highest level for that month in six years, signaling strengthening optimism among entrepreneurs.

The head of the Cortés Chamber of Commerce called for stronger vocational and technical training to match Honduras's labor-market needs, ahead of a July 17 Employability Summit bringing together private companies, schools, and government officials.

Dante Mossi, former president of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration, says the government lacks a public strategy to manage ENEE's $1 billion debt to power generators, a $700 million sovereign bond due in January 2027, and roughly $3 billion in stalled infrastructure projects including roads, dams, and hospitals.

The Honduran fuel distributors' association says price reductions take longer to reach consumers than increases because of volatile global markets, summer demand surges abroad, and geopolitical uncertainty around Middle Eastern shipping routes.

More than 261,000 Honduran children in child labor earn an average of L4,279 (about $172) monthly—three times less than the L14,917 minimum wage—with rural children and those aged 5–9 earning the least.

The Central Bank of Honduras auctioned $85 million in foreign currency on July 13, setting the weighted-average exchange rate at L26.7565 per dollar for July 14.

Honduras's net international reserves reached $1.29 billion as of July 10, up from January 27, with import coverage holding steady at 6.7 months.

The Central Bank's economic analysis team projects Honduras's economy will grow 3.6% in 2026 and 3.8% in 2027, within the range set by the 2026–2027 monetary program.

The Central Bank of Honduras forecasts year-over-year inflation of 4.97% at the close of 2026, with a declining trend that would bring it within the monetary authority's target range of 3.0–5.0% by June 2028.

Economic analyst Nancy Ochoa projects the Honduran lempira will depreciate by 2.7% for the full year 2026 if current trends continue.

Gasoline and diesel have fallen for seven consecutive weeks in Honduras, but the basic food basket and public transportation costs continue climbing, with analysts noting that oil-price increases pass through quickly while decreases do not.

Honduras has spent only L15.8 billion (about $635 million) of a L46.8 billion public investment budget in the first seven months of 2026, with roads leading at 54.9% execution while energy, transport, health, and education sectors lag well below 20%.

The head of Honduras's business association warns that the state power utility ENEE has 122 billion lempiras ($4.9 billion) in liabilities against 54 billion in assets, and risks having to return to costly diesel generation unless Congress approves new energy legislation and competitive bidding within months.

Finance Minister Emilio Hernández Hércules said the Public Safety Tax will collect over L6 billion (roughly $240 million) this year — up from L5.3–5.4 billion in prior years — driven by economic growth and higher banking transactions, with funds going to police, courts, prosecutors, defense, and the 911 emergency system.

Economist Amparo Canales says Honduras must reassess its economic outlook due to unstable oil prices and rising international inflation, requiring a review of the monetary program in the third quarter as the economic environment shifts.

The Energy Ministry announced fuel price reductions of 5 centavos to 2.25 lempiras (roughly 2 cents to 90 cents USD) starting Monday, citing a recent 5% surge in global oil prices from escalating US-Iran tensions that limited deeper cuts.

Honduras is planting 1,000 manzanas (about 700 hectares) with high-yield certified rice seed imported from the Dominican Republic in a pilot program costing roughly 5 million lempiras (about $187,000) to improve grain quality and reduce import dependence.

Coffee producer Víctor Barahona projects Honduras's coffee exports will reach $2.5 billion this season.

The Finance Ministry has completed transfers to Honduras's 298 municipalities through June, allowing local governments to continue executing projects and delivering services.

Honduras's vehicle fleet grew to 3.6 million units in 2025, with motorcycles accounting for over half the increase and now representing 50.12% of all registered vehicles, driven by lower prices, easy financing, and fuel efficiency.

The Central Bank of Honduras auctioned $80.1 million in its July 10 currency sale, setting the average exchange rate at L26.7635 per dollar for July 11–13.

Honduras's monthly inflation rate dropped to 0.19% in June 2026, the lowest for that month since 2020 and down 0.63 percentage points from May's 0.82%, marking the second consecutive month of decline.

The National Autonomous University reports the basic food basket rose 800 lempiras (about $32) over a year, but the government puts the increase at 244 lempiras, amid broader inflation running 5.83% annually against an official target of 4%.

A Fosdeh economist warns that roughly 37 billion lempiras in unaccounted money emitted by the previous administration could stoke inflation, though he notes that inflation stems from multiple causes including import dependence, fuel costs, and climate-driven agricultural shortfalls.

Year-over-year inflation in Honduras eased to 5.83% in June, moving toward the central bank's medium-term target range of 4.00% plus or minus 1 percentage point.

Honduras's Consumer Protection directorate says it has conducted over 7,000 inspections in four months, detecting expired merchandise and card surcharges, while publishing weekly reference prices from wholesale markets to curb price speculation on basic goods.

Finance Secretary Emilio Hernández Hércules said Honduras is proceeding with an open auction of the presidential aircraft and plans to issue up to 16 billion lempiras (about $640 million) in bonds, with proceeds aimed at paying accumulated debts to electricity generators and addressing the state power utility's financial crisis.

An economist at Honduras's national university says the state power utility's financial crisis, unresolved across multiple administrations, risks becoming unsalvageable if deterioration continues.

Honduras will lower prices for gasoline, diesel, and kerosene on July 13, while maintaining domestic cooking-gas prices under a government subsidy, according to the Energy Ministry.

A Fosdeh economist attributes a recent increase in remittances to Honduras partly to Hondurans in the United States sending money home due to deportation concerns, while others continue migrating and supporting their families abroad.