Regional Economic Bulletin: Northeast, First Quarter of 2026
The Regional Economic Bulletin is published by the Regional Economies Section of the Technical and Economic Information Department at Banco de la República. The views and potential errors are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not compromise Banco de la República or its Board of Directors.
In the first quarter of 2026, economic activity in the northeast region recorded year-over-year growth, driven by domestic demand, favorable weather conditions for agricultural activity, and improvements in production processes. This dynamic was led by domestic trade, construction, and higher industrial and livestock output, with performances above the national average. In contrast, exports weakened due to lower sales of coal and coke. Inflation remained above target, while unemployment rates in Cúcuta and Bucaramanga reached historic lows.
Trade recorded six consecutive quarters of double-digit growth, driven by dynamic disposable income supported by remittances, increased credit, and low unemployment rates. This performance was accompanied by improved inventory levels and commercial strategies that boosted spending on durable and leisure goods.
Manufacturing production in Santander maintained favorable dynamism, while in Boyacá it recorded a slight contraction. In Santander, growth was driven by the rest of the manufacturing sector, particularly fuel production, while food and beverage production remained at levels similar to those observed a year earlier. Manufacturing in Boyacá declined due to lower production of metallic and non-metallic minerals, as well as a decrease in beverages.
The region’s construction sector continued to show signs of improvement. Constructed area, cement dispatches, concrete production, and new housing sales recorded annual increases, mostly above the national average. In contrast, approved construction area and asphalt production declined.
Regional Economic Bulletin published to date (since 2025)
In order to present this content to the English-speaking public, since 2025 Banrep has been providing translations of the summaries. The full document, as well as the interactive bulletin, are published only in Spanish.
