Latin America Economics Update How will Latin America cope with higher public debt? Governments in Chile and Peru should be able to live comfortably with a jump in their public debt-to-GDP ratios this year. Those in Colombia, Mexico and, to a greater extent, Brazil will struggle. The... 9th June 2020 · 5 mins read
Latin America Economics Update Argentina: restructuring deal may not be enough The recent progress in talks between Argentina’s government and bondholders suggests that a debt restructuring deal is increasingly likely. However, we are sceptical of the IMF’s view that the... 4th June 2020 · 5 mins read
Latin America Economics Update Taking stock of lockdown damage as outlook worsens The latest activity data suggest that stringent lockdowns are causing especially deep falls in GDP in Peru and Argentina. But with the region as a whole struggling to contain outbreaks, and limited... 3rd June 2020 · 3 mins read
Latin America Economics Update Peru: deeper downturn, but fast recovery Q1 GDP data from Peru suggest that its lockdown is having a bigger impact on activity than measures elsewhere in Latin America. And with new infections in Peru surging in recent weeks, we are revising... 22nd May 2020 · 3 mins read
Latin America Economics Update Argentina’s D-day & what it means for restructuring Barring an eleventh hour deal out of the blue, Argentina’s ninth sovereign default will be confirmed on Friday and, while this event is unlikely to surprise many in the markets, it will up the ante on... 21st May 2020 · 4 mins read
Latin America Economics Update Brazil’s Covid-19 crisis & the mounting economic toll The continued rapid spread of the coronavirus through Brazil means that the economy will pull out of its slump more slowly than in many other emerging markets. And with the crisis challenging the... 20th May 2020 · 3 mins read
Latin America Economics Update Colombia’s downturn worse than we feared The weaker-than-expected Q1 GDP figure, coupled with signs that Q2 is shaping up to be worse than we had initially thought, has prompted us to revise down our estimate for the fall in Colombian GDP... 19th May 2020 · 2 mins read
Latin America Economics Update Are investors too sanguine on Colombian debt? Colombia’s public debt ratio will rise sharply this year and we disagree with the consensus view that it will fall back from 2021. This is likely to limit any recovery in the Colombian bond market... 14th May 2020 · 3 mins read
Latin America Economics Update Argentina: comparisons with 2001/02 One major difference between Argentina’s current crisis and the historic 2001/02 episode is that the hit to private sector balance sheets should be smaller. So even though the coronavirus will cause a... 11th May 2020 · 4 mins read
Latin America Economics Update Copom set to cut further, Chile’s CB stays the course The Brazilian central bank’s 75bp cut in the Selic rate last night and the dovish tone of the accompanying statement has prompted us to pencil in a further 50bp of cuts (to 2.50%) in the coming months... 7th May 2020 · 3 mins read
Latin America Economics Update Brazil and Mexico set for double-digit contractions The collapse in the confidence surveys in Brazil and Mexico last month point to a contraction in activity that exceeds that experienced in each economy during the Global Financial Crisis. And with... 5th May 2020 · 2 mins read
Latin America Economics Update Colombia cuts rates, more easing in store The statement accompanying the Colombian central bank’s decision to cut the policy rate by 50bp to 3.25% left the door open for more easing. Given the scale of the economic hit that we expect, the... 1st May 2020 · 3 mins read
Latin America Economics Update Latin American banks: where do the risks lie? Latin American banks are generally in good shape, but the sheer scale of the fall in output and limited policy responses to protect incomes in parts of the region mean that the rise in bad loans could... 29th April 2020 · 3 mins read
Latin America Economics Update The economic angle to Brazil’s (latest) political crisis Brazil’s economy is better placed to withstand a twin political and economic crisis than it was during the Dilma impeachment of 2015-16. But the brewing political mess could leave long-lasting damage... 27th April 2020 · 4 mins read
Latin America Economics Update Assessing the impact of low oil prices on Mexico The plunge in oil prices is yet another drag on Mexico’s freefalling economy, and may hasten a move by Pemex to restructure its external debts. The government’s lacklustre response to the economic... 22nd April 2020 · 3 mins read
Latin America Economics Update Five Q&As on Argentina’s restructuring proposal The Argentine government’s aggressive proposal to restructure its international bonds entails over $40bn in debt relief, which would go some way to restoring public debt sustainability. However, there... 17th April 2020 · 3 mins read
