Latin America Economics Update Ecuador: recent slowdown has further to run The pace of growth of Ecuador’s economy slowed substantially in 2012 and we expect this trend to continue over the current year. This is unlikely to put a serious dent in President Correa’s bid for re... 10th January 2013 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Chilean peso to end the year below 500/US$ A strong start to the year for the Chilean peso has led to renewed speculation that the central bank will be forced to intervene in FX markets to weaken the currency. While intervention is possible... 9th January 2013 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Outlook brightens (a little) for Argentina in debt dispute Events have recently swung back in Argentina’s favour in its dispute with holdout bondholders. Despite this, there remains a significant risk of a default over the course of this year. What’s more... 8th January 2013 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Taking stock of developments in Venezuela The recent rally in Venezuelan government bonds, on the back of speculation that the deteriorating health of President Hugo Chávez will lead to a shift towards more market friendly policies, stands in... 7th January 2013 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Mexican industry may not be as strong as the PMI survey suggests We suspect that the record high reading from the Mexican manufacturing PMI in December paints a false picture of strength. Other surveys have been weaker, and the hard data suggest that activity... 3rd January 2013 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Brazil’s industrial recovery struggling to gain momentum The slight fall in the Brazilian Manufacturing PMI in December suggests that while industry in Latin America’s largest economy continued to grow in the final months of last year, the pace of expansion... 2nd January 2013 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Colombian GDP growth to slow further in 2013 The unexpectedly sharp slowdown in Colombian GDP growth in Q3 supports our non-consensus view that interest rates are likely to fall further. In fact, we think the central bank is now likely to cut... 20th December 2012 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Signs of improvement in Q4 Our GDP Tracker suggests that growth in Latin American has accelerated in Q4, with a recovery in Brazil offsetting a slowdown in Mexico. However, the Brazilian economy is reaching the limits of... 19th December 2012 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Chilean rates more likely to fall than rise in 2013 Chile’s economy is currently in a sweet spot between strong growth and low inflation, and we do not expect any moves in interest rates in the near term. But to the extent that rates are changed next... 14th December 2012 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Argentine debt: what are the risks ahead? As the dust settles on the latest twist in Argentina’s sovereign debt debacle, attention has turned to 2013 and the possibility of a fresh default. This remains a significant risk. But while a default... 12th December 2012 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Chavez's absence adds to the uncertainty in Venezuela Venezuelan economic policy looks set to remain in limbo until the future of the President Hugo Chávez is resolved. Devaluation of the bolivar, which we had expected early next year, may be delayed... 10th December 2012 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Peruvian rates set to remain on hold throughout 2013 Peru kept interest rates on hold at 4.25% last night after a fall in food inflation brought the headline rate down to target for the first time since mid-2011. Looking forward, with the scope for... 7th December 2012 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Central America best placed to benefit from China shift After a decade of underperformance, we believe that growth in Central America will start to outpace that of South America over the coming years. Part of the reason for this is the changing... 6th December 2012 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update US fiscal cliff unlikely to destabilise Mexican economy Fears about the looming fiscal cliff have caused US businesses and households to defer spending plans, in the process contributing to the recent slowdown in the Mexican economy. But with an abrupt... 5th December 2012 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Mexico: Pena Nieto keeps up reform momentum The new President of Mexico, Enrique Pena Nieto of the PRI, has continued to demonstrate an appetite for the kind of reforms that should help to raise economic activity over the medium-term. We expect... 4th December 2012 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Brazilian industry not as strong as it seems Brazilian industry should continue to grow over the coming months, but the current pace of expansion is unlikely to be maintained. Tax breaks on motor vehicles are due to expire, while the economy... 4th December 2012 · 1 min read
