In May, tax collections totaled PEN5.39 billion, a 9.6% increase over the same month a year earlier, while customs duties collections totaled PEN2.21 billion, a 1.7% decrease in real terms, the government agency Sunat said Monday.

After expanding 8.8% in 2010, Peru's gross domestic product gained 6.9% last year. Economists forecast growth of about 6.0% this year.

Income tax collections totaled PEN2.61 billion in May, a 5.2% increase over the same month a year earlier, Dow Jones Newswires reported.

The overall number for collections can be less than the addition of tax revenue and customs revenue due to tax refunds.

(END) INT/EEP