An increase in containers handled by ports and net tonnage transported through the Panama Canal helped boost one of Latin America's most robust economies, data from the government statistics agency showed.
The agency noted contributing factors including consumer spending, tourism and construction, which is being driven by infrastructure spending including the $5.25-billion expansion of the Panama Canal.
Panama's services-based economy is expected to expand by around 9 percent of GDP in 2011, according to official projections. (Reuters)
