Gross Domestic Product: Q1/2026
For the first quarter of 2026, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the Maltese economy registered a positive year-on-year growth rate of 3.9 per cent in volume terms.
The GDP deflator went up by 3.0 per cent compared to the same quarter last year. This represents an increase of 2.0 percentage points in comparison to the year-on-year rate recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025.
| Q1 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q4 2025 | Q1 2026 | ||
| Gross domestic product (nominal) | € 000 | 5,781,342 | 6,117,333 | 6,380,106 | 6,299,131 | 6,183,498 |
| Gross national income (nominal) | € 000 | 5,156,503 | 5,475,494 | 5,774,811 | 5,695,423 | 5,573,516 |
| Gross domestic product (deflator) | 2020=100 | 117.9 | 120.9 | 120.9 | 122.0 | 121.5 |
| Gross domestic product per capita (nominal) | € | 10,004 | 10,514 | 10,910 | 10,724 | 10,474 |
| Gross national income per capita (nominal) | € | 8,923 | 9,411 | 9,875 | 9,696 | 9,440 |
The production approach
The production approach, also called the output approach, measures GDP as the sum of the Gross Value Added (GVA), which is the difference between the value of Output and the value of Intermediate consumption, and Taxes less subsidies on products.
During the first quarter of 2026, GVA rose by 3.7 per cent in volume terms, when compared to the corresponding quarter of 2025.
The contributions to the GVA growth rate in volume terms of Services (NACE Sections G to U) and Industry (NACE Sections B to F) were positive at 3.5 and 0.3 percentage points, respectively. Agriculture and fishing (NACE Section A) contributed negatively by 0.1 percentage points.
The increase in Services was mainly driven by the growth rates recorded in the following sectors: Information and communication (5.3 per cent), Financial and insurance activities (9.0 per cent) and Professional, scientific and technical activities (4.7 per cent).
| Q1 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q4 2025 | Q1 2026 | ||
| Gross value added | pp | 4.5 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.9 | 3.4 |
| Agriculture and fishing1 | pp | -0.1 | -0.1 | -0.3 | 0.1 | -0.1 |
| Industry | pp | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.1 | -0.5 | 0.3 |
| Services | pp | 4.4 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 4.4 | 3.2 |
| Taxes less subsidies on products | pp | -1.4 | -0.7 | 0.8 | 2.5 | 0.4 |
1 Chain-linking for variables with a potentially changing sign is aggravated and the results could prove to be erratic. Specifically in such cases only the contribution to the GDP growth is computed.
Note: Contributions may not add up due to rounding.
The expenditure approach
The expenditure approach is another method used to calculate GDP and is derived by adding Final consumption expenditure, Gross capital formation and Exports less Imports.
Domestic demand had a positive contribution of 3.6 percentage points to the year-on-year GDP growth rate in volume terms. External demand also registered a positive contribution of 0.3 percentage points.
In the first quarter of 2026, Final consumption expenditure witnessed an increase of 5.0 per cent in volume terms. This was the result of an increase in the expenditure of Households and General government final consumption expenditure of 3.8 and 8.5 per cent, respectively. The expenditure of NPISHs1 increased by 0.4 per cent.
Gross fixed capital formation increased by 3.6 per cent in volume terms.
Exports and imports of goods and services in volume terms both rose by 4.9 and 5.6 per cent, respectively.
1Non-profit institutions serving households.
| Q1 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q4 2025 | Q1 2026 | ||
| Final consumption expenditure | pp | 2.8 | 2.1 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 3.1 |
| Private | pp | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 1.6 |
| Government | pp | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.5 |
| Gross capital formation | pp | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.5 |
| Fixed assets | pp | -0.6 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.6 |
| Inventories and valuables | pp | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.5 | -0.1 |
| Exports of goods and services | pp | 0.9 | 8.0 | 5.1 | 7.3 | 5.6 |
| Imports of goods and services | pp | 0.6 | 8.4 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 5.3 |
Note: Contributions may not add up due to rounding.
The income approach
The third approach to measure economic activity is the income approach, which shows how GDP is distributed among Compensation of employees, Gross operating surplus of enterprises and Taxes on production and Imports net of subsidies.
Compared to the first quarter of 2025, the €402.2 million increase in nominal GDP was the result of a €232.5 million increase in Compensation of employees, a €98.2 million rise in Gross operating surplus and mixed income, and an increase of €71.4 million in Taxes on production and imports less subsidies.
| Q1 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q4 2025 | Q1 2026 | ||
| Compensation of employees | pp | 4.3 | 4.4 | 3.4 | 1.8 | 4.0 |
| Agriculture and fishing | pp | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Industry | pp | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Services | pp | 4.1 | 4.1 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 3.7 |
| Gross operating surplus and mixed income | pp | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 2.4 | 1.7 |
| Taxes less subsidies on production | pp | 0.1 | -0.7 | 1.2 | 3.3 | 1.2 |
Note: Contributions may not add up due to rounding.
Gross National Income
Gross National Income (GNI) differs from the GDP measure in terms of net compensation receipts, net property income receivable and net taxes receivable on production and imports from abroad.
Considering the effects of income and taxation paid and received by residents to and from the rest of the world, GNI at market prices for the first quarter of 2026 was estimated at €5.6 billion.
Tables
Tables
Methodological Notes
1. The chain-linked volume indices have been re-referenced to 2020=100 (Tables 6 and 8).
2. Data in this news release is unadjusted. Seasonally adjusted data is available in the table (namq_10_gdp) accessible here.
7. The ESA 2010 GNI Inventory provides a detailed explanation of sources and methods used for estimating GNI in Malta. It is the basis for the Eurostat assessment of the quality and exhaustiveness of GNI data and their compliance with ESA 2010 in the context of the GNI for own resources purposes. The Inventory is a reference document that is kept up-to-date to reflect the latest methodology in place.
8. More information relating to this news release may be accessed at:
9. The data contained in this release is subject to revision. For an updated time-series which includes past data, please refer to the NSO Statistical Database.
10. A detailed news release calendar is available online.
11. References to this news release are to be cited appropriately. For guidance on access and re-use of data please visit our dedicated webpage.
12. For further assistance send your request through our online request form.
Gross Domestic Product: Q1/2026
- In 2026-Q1, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose by 3.9 per cent in volume terms.
- Domestic demand contributed positively to GDP growth in volume terms (3.6 percentage points).
- Foreign trade also contributed positively to GDP growth in volume terms (0.3 percentage points).
- The GDP deflator rose by 3.0 per cent when compared to 2025-Q1.
Gross Domestic Product: Q1/2026
