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LIMA, June 15 (Reuters) – Peru’s economy expanded 3.73% in April from a year earlier, data \u200cfrom the government’s INEI statistics agency showed \u200con Monday, exceeding expectations as nearly all sectors posted growth.<\/p>\n
April’s reading \u200bcame above the 3.55% increase forecast by analysts polled by Reuters and compared with a 3.21% expansion in March.<\/p>\n
The result was driven by strength in construction \u200cand trade, which rose \u206012.88% and 7.31% respectively, in line with recent months as domestic demand underpinned \u2060growth.<\/p>\n
Fishing also posted gains during the month – despite recent warnings from the central bank that weather risks \u200blinked to \u200bthe El Ni\u00f1o phenomenon \u200bcould weigh on the \u200csector – while electricity generation increased.<\/p>\n
By contrast, the key mining and hydrocarbons sector shrank 3.24% from a year earlier, while the agriculture sector contracted 1.64%, according to INEI data.<\/p>\n
The country is also grappling with political \u200cuncertainty following a razor-tight presidential \u200brunoff. The initial vote count \u200bhas finished, but electoral \u200bauthorities are now reviewing hundreds of \u200cthousands of contested ballots, with \u200bno winner \u200byet declared and the final result expected to take weeks.<\/p>\n
Despite years of political upheaval, the major \u200bcopper-producing nation has \u200clong been one of the region’s most \u200bstable economies.<\/p>\n
(Reporting by Marco Aquino and Aida Pelaez-Fernandez; \u200bEditing by Kylie Madry)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n