Colombia’s industrial production rose 1.4% year-on-year in February 2026, a sharp turnaround from the 0.5% contraction recorded in January and surpassing market expectations. The recovery was broad-based, with 20 of 39 industrial activities posting gains. The strongest increases were seen in motor vehicles (26.0%), petroleum refining (11.9%), beverage manufacturing (7.7%), pharmaceutical products (9.2%), and transport equipment (22.0%).
However, several key segments continued to struggle, including iron and steel (-20.5%), basic chemicals (-11.6%), coffee threshing (-38.5%), and cacao and chocolate (-21.9%). At the same time, retail sales fell 2.5% and industrial employment declined 0.4%, indicating that although production has regained some momentum, both consumer demand and labor market conditions remain under significant pressure in the current economic environment.
