(Adds information in 1st paragraph, economist comments in paragraphs five-7)

May possibly 26 (Reuters) – Mexico’s economy grew for the sixth quarter in a row in the 1st quarter, information from Latin America’s second-biggest economy showed on Friday, with development in line with marketplace expectations.

Gross domestic solution (GDP) elevated 1.% in the period from the preceding 3 months, statistics agency INEGI mentioned, matching forecasts from economists in a Reuters poll.

The figure, on the other hand, came in slightly beneath preliminary estimates disclosed by INEGI a month ago, when the statistics agency mentioned GDP had probably elevated 1.1% in the period on a sequential basis.

Economists had currently dubbed the preliminary 1st quarter information as “strong,” though noted a slowdown in the U.S. economy and tight monetary policy would possibly soften Mexico’s overall performance in the coming quarters.

“All round, these numbers confirm a decent start off to the year,” Pantheon Macroeconomics’ chief economist for Latin America, Andres Abadia, mentioned about Friday’s figures. “But sequential information is confirming a gradual deterioration in current months.”

Added indicators released by INEGI showed that financial activity in the nation shrank .three% in March from the preceding month.

Abadia mentioned the “superior news” was that fading development momentum and falling inflation would make it less difficult for the central bank to adopt a dovish tone quickly right after pausing a practically two-year price-hike cycle earlier this month.

The quarterly GDP development, according to INEGI, was driven by a 1.five% jump in the tertiary or service sector and a .six% enhance in secondary activities, which comprise manufacturing.

Key activities such as farming, forestry, fishing and mining, nonetheless, shrunk by two.eight%.

In annual terms, the agency added, the economy expanded three.7% in the 1st 3 months of 2023 compared to a year earlier. That was slightly beneath the three.9% development anticipated by the marketplace and projected by final month’s preliminary information. (Reporting by Gabriel Araujo editing by Steven Grattan, Jason Neely and Conor Humphries)