Central Bank Flags Slower GDP Growth in First Quarter.

Economic growth slowed to 2.7% in the first quarter of 2025, compared to 4.8% a year ago, the central bank’s Quarterly Bulletin shows. Sandra Garises, Principal Communications Team Leader, says softer growth was due to weaker farming output and uneven performance in mining and manufacturing. Despite this, the services sector held firm, inflation edged up to 3.7%, and foreign reserves declined amid rising outflows for oil exploration in the Orange Basin.