Bridgetown --- 1 Nov. 2006 --- Real economic activity in Barbados grew by 3.7% for the first nine months of 2006, virtually on par with the expansion in the corresponding period of 2005. As has been the trend since the fourth quarter of 2003, the rise in real output was driven mainly by solid growth in the non-traded sectors, with traded sector output remaining sluggish.

Despite a 6.0% increase in the output of the non-traded sectors, retained imports contracted compared to the first nine months of 2005, which, along with higher travel credits and domestic exports, curbed the persistent decline in the external current account balance.