A. M. 
The Producer Price Index (PPI) of El Salvador began 2026 with a moderate variation, reflecting stable prices for goods and services in the first stage of marketing.
According to data provided by the Banco Central de Reserva de El Salvador (BCR), the PPI registered a value of 136.52 points in january 2026, representing a monthly increase of 0.28% compared to december 2025, when it stood at 136.14 points.
Overall variation in january 2026
The monthly increase of 0.28% also coincides with the accumulated variation so far this year, since January is the first month of 2026. In year-on-year terms, that is, compared to january 2025, the index showed an increase of 1.18%, which demonstrates moderate inflation at the producer level.
This indicator measures changes in the prices of locally produced goods and services before they reach the final consumer, thus serving as an early indicator of potential inflationary pressures in the economy.
Sectors that drove the increase
The main driver of the PPI in January came from the Education sector, which registered the largest monthly change at 1.94%, raising its index to 153.21 points. This sector exerted the most pressure on the overall result for the month.
It was followed by:
Administrative and support service activities, with a monthly increase of 0.61%, reaching 133.35 points.
Accommodation and food service activities, which rose 0.27%, settling at 157.50 points.
These three sectors accounted for most of the upward momentum of the PPI in january, explaining the positive result of 0.28% in the overall indicator.
In addition, other sectors contributed more moderate increases, such as:
Manufacturing industries, with 0.17% (141.31 points).
Electricity and gas supply, with 0.02% (130.30 points).
Although these increases were slight, they contributed to the index’s positive performance.
Sectors with declines in january
In contrast, some sectors registered decreases in their producer prices.
The Human Health and Social Assistance sector showed the largest monthly drop at -0.65%, settling at 125.28 points.
A slight decrease was also reported in water supply and sewerage, with a drop of 0.05%, bringing the score to 123.33 points.
These declines helped contain the overall growth of the PPI, keeping the result at a moderate level.
Year-on-Year Performance by Sector
When comparing january 2026 with january 2025, the largest year-on-year increases were observed in:
Administrative and support service activities, with 5.95%.
Health care and social assistance, with 5.71%.
Education, with 2.68%.
In contrast, the water supply sector registered a year-on-year change of -0.12%, while Information and Telecommunications showed a mere 0.01% increase.
This behavior confirms that, on an annual basis, services have shown greater price pressures compared to other productive sectors, which explains the overall 1.18% year-on-year variation.
Overview
The PPI covers 13 economic sectors according to the ISIC Rev. 4.0 classification, from manufacturing industries to service activities. Data is collected monthly in urban and non-urban areas.
In january 2026, the index rose from 136.14 to 136.52 points, maintaining a moderate upward trend, with no signs of abrupt increases. The result reflects an environment of relative stability in production costs, with the service sector leading variations and some specific items acting as a counterweight.
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