PANAMA’S GROSS  domestic product (GDP) grew 4.9 percent in the first six months of the year compared with data from the first half of 2015, said the Comptroller General on  Thursday, September 15.

The construction, financial services and real estate sectors  boosted the economy in the while transport, storage and telecommunications recorded a slight fall.

Growth was 5.2 percent in the period from April to June, while it was 4.6 percent in the first three months of the year.

The comptroller also reported that the deficit was $21.6 billion, an increase of $1.7 billion over the past year.