Browse Honduras Daily Stories

Active interest rates on business loans have decelerated across commerce, industry, and services, tracking softer deposit rates, according to Central Bank data.

Juan Carlos Hernández, president of Honduras's Colegio de Economistas, defended the central bank's decision to hold its benchmark interest rate steady, arguing that lower rates would risk fueling inflation by increasing money in circulation without proportional growth in goods and services.

Honduras's banking system holds nearly 200 billion lempiras (about $8 billion) in excess liquidity, and economists say the central bank must manage the surplus and maintain its policy rate to avoid stoking inflation.

The Central Bank of Honduras kept its policy rate (TPM) at 5.75%, with interbank and central bank window rates aligned to that benchmark.

Central Bank President Roberto Lagos said Honduras must prepare monetary and fiscal measures aligned with IMF recommendations to contain inflation, while currently monitoring how fuel prices ripple through the economy; he indicated no immediate rate adjustment is needed given US Federal Reserve policy.

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.

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.

Interest rates on new loans and deposits in Honduras are falling, especially in lempiras, as bank deposits grow and credit conditions normalize across the financial system.

Economist Guillermo Matamoros says the Central Bank of Honduras must implement mitigation measures as inflation indicators suggest it will exceed the bank's target range, though May data shows a slowdown from April.

Private-sector credit in Honduras is expanding faster, driven by declining interest rates and increased lending to businesses, the Central Bank reports.

Honduran bank liquidity reached L195.9 billion (about $7.8 billion) in March 2026 as deposits continued to grow faster than the credit portfolio, leaving lenders with excess funds that could boost lending later in the year if loan demand increases.

The Central Bank of Honduras released its updated 2026–2027 monetary program, projecting inflation will converge to its 4.0% ± 1 percentage-point target by December 2026 and tightening money-supply measures to combat price pressures that reached 5.83% in June.