Latin America Economics Update Chile: Interest rates to stay on hold, despite weak Q3 GDP Chile’s central bank kept interest rates on hold at 3.50% and, while GDP data released this morning showed that economic growth remained sluggish in Q3 at 1.6% y/y, we still think it would take a... 18th November 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Mexico raises rates to shore up peso, further hikes likely The 50bp increase in Mexican interest rates (to 5.25%) at today’s meeting was aimed at supporting the peso in the aftermath of the US election and it’s clear that further hikes are on the cards. We... 18th November 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update What are President Trump’s options on NAFTA? The wholesale renegotiation of NAFTA that Donald Trump talked about on the campaign trail would require approval by Congress and seems unlikely to happen. But President Trump will have broad powers to... 11th November 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Peru: Rising inflation to trigger rate hikes next year Despite the drop in the sol in recent days and the rising inflation rate, Peru’s central bank left interest rates on hold at 4.25% once again. Nonetheless, we expect hikes to resume next year and the... 11th November 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Mexico keeps its powder dry, but rate hikes still likely The rebound in the peso over the last few hours appears to have dissuaded Mexico’s central bank from raising interest rates at a press conference this morning. However, with the situation in markets... 9th November 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update How would Mexican policymakers respond to a Trump victory? If Donald Trump prevails in tomorrow’s US presidential election, our sense is that Mexican policymakers’ initial response would be to hike interest rates by 100-200bp at an emergency central bank... 7th November 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Trump & the Mexican peso: how low can you go? The likely market sell-off in response to a victory for Donald Trump next week could push the Mexican peso to as low as 25/$. What happens to the peso beyond the initial sell-off would depend upon... 3rd November 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Latest data deal a blow to Brazil’s recovery A combination of shutdowns at several large auto plants and a drought-related drop in agricultural exports has set back the recovery in Brazil’s economy. Both headwinds should prove temporary, but our... 31st October 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Venezuela: PDVSA bond swap tinkering around the edges The restructuring of the short term dollar debt of Venezuela’s state-owned oil company has reduced the risk of default over the next twelve months, but only at the margin. What’s more, it has added to... 27th October 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Politics help Lat Am markets to outperform Latin America’s financial markets have performed strongly this month thanks to rising commodity prices, as well as favourable political developments in the cases of Brazil and Mexico. The exception is... 26th October 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update First thoughts on Colombia’s tax reform Colombia’s much-anticipated tax reform bill is impressive and, if passed by Congress, would put the public finances on a more sustainable footing. However, it would create some near-term economic pain... 25th October 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Mexico’s star begins to fade Mexico’s faltering economy probably escaped recession in Q3 – but it’s a close call. Our GDP growth forecast for this year was already below consensus but we are nudging it down from 2.0% to 1.8%... 20th October 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Brazil: rate cuts to remain gradual, for now The decision by Brazil’s COPOM to cut the benchmark Selic interest rate by only 25bp (rather than 50bp), combined with a slightly less dovish accompanying statement than some had expected, reinforces... 20th October 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Argentina: is Macri already a busted flush? The Argentine government’s recent upward revision to its 2017 budget deficit forecast has added to concerns that President Macri’s reform agenda is already starting to slow after less than a year in... 19th October 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Chile: MPC divided, but rates to remain on hold Chile’s central bank left interest rates on hold at 3.50%, although the MPC appears to be divided over whether to flag rate cuts or not. For now, we expect signs that the economy is recovering keep... 19th October 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Peru: Interest rates to rise by more than most expect The Peruvian central bank’s decision to keep interest rates on hold at 4.25% didn’t come as a surprise, but we expect a pick-up in inflation next year to trigger more rate hikes than the consensus... 14th October 2016 · 1 min read
