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Latin America Monitor (LAM) provides subscribers with systematic political risk assessment, economic forecasts and business analysis for each country across the region. The service includes online access to the very latest analysis, a 24-month searchable archive of articles and data, and PDF access to the monthly Monitor reports.
Published by Business Monitor International, the emerging market specialists, LAM is broken down into six regional services: Andean, Brazil, Caribbean, Central America, Mexico and Southern Cone.
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Political Risk / Venezuela
With regional elections scheduled for November, we expect to see a rise in short-term political risk as President Hugo Chávez, under increased pressure from a strengthening right-wing opposition, seeks to rally round his supporters using nationalistic rhetoric. We see the progress made by the opposition parties, which have consolidated and become more moderate in an attempt to...
2008-05-16Economy / Bolivia
Real GDP in Bolivia expanded by 4.6% in 2007, smashing our 3.5% target, thanks to the continued acceleration of private consumption and higher than anticipated investment spending....
2008-05-14Economy / Venezuela
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has claimed that his government has lost contact with the Colombian paramilitary group the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) after...
2008-05-12Economy / Brazil
Brazilian rice producers seem to have succeeded in preventing authorities from extending a suspension on rice exports to the private sector. The government's proposed plans came on the back of global rice prices hitting new record highs, appreciating by over 80% since the beginning of the year. Brazilian rice producers export about 10% of their output to maintain a profit margin...
2008-05-07Economy / Brazil
Brazilian rice producers seem to have succeeded in preventing authorities from extending a suspension on rice exports to the private sector. The government's proposed plans came on...
2008-05-07Economy / Brazil
We have revised up both our Selic rate and inflation forecasts for Brazil, now expecting the end-year Selic rate to stand at 12.50%, and inflation to reach 4.65% y-o-y. We note that...
2008-05-07Economy / Guyana
Guyana's president Bharrat Jagdeo has called for stiffer penalties for officials found guilty of corruption. The president has advanced the possibility of going beyond simply severing an individual's employment to include jail, and fines for companies. The move comes after a major investigation into money laundering and smuggling has got underway and the Guyana Revenue Authority...
2008-05-14Economy / Guyana
While the increase in domestic food prices is drawing the government into subsidising the cost of basic staples, Guyana, as one of the Caribbean's primary rice producers, could benefit...
2008-05-14Economy / Anguilla
At the end of April a group of Anguillan legislators called publicly for the island to gain greater self-rule from the UK, a move requiring a new constitution and one that could be...
2008-05-14Economy / Guatemala
Guatemalan President Álvaro Colom has appointed Rómulo Caballeros as his new economy minister. Caballeros replaces José García Macal, who tendered his resignation back in March. Undoubtedly, Caballero's short-term priority will be to address spiralling food prices and rising inflation. The new minister has ruled out the use of price controls or subsidies as a means of providing...
2008-05-12Economy / Honduras
A top trade union leader was assassinated at the end of April, piling more pressure on the government to address deepening security concerns across the country. Rosa Fuentes, leader...
2008-05-12Economy / Nicaragua
The Nicaraguan government has reached an agreement with the country's transport sector which should bring an end to national strikes over rising fuel prices. The authorities will...
2008-05-12Economy / Mexico
Following disappointing data from the first half of April, central bank Banxico's recently-released quarterly inflation report revised up its inflation expectations for 2008. The short-term inflation outlook is looking less favourable, and markets were quick to respond to Banxico's unexpectedly hawkish report, which revised up its Q208, Q308 and Q408 CPI projections by 50 basis...
2008-05-08Economy / Mexico
As the value of Mexico's total oil basket grew 9.7% m-o-m to reach a new high of US$88.10 per barrel (bbl), production fell 10.7% y-o-y in March to 3.2mn barrels per day (bpd), following...
2008-05-07Economy / Mexico
As the value of Mexico's total oil basket grew 9.7% m-o-m to reach a new high of US$88.10 per barrel (bbl), production fell 10.7% y-o-y in March to 3.2mn barrels per day (bpd), following...
2008-05-07Economy / Paraguay
We are keeping our short-term political risk rating on hold at a lowly 52.1 this month owing to the uncertainties surrounding the upcoming transition of power from sitting President Nicanor Duarte's Partido Colorado (PC) to President-elect Fernando Lugo's Alianza Patriótica para el Cambio (APC). Our long-term political risk ratings on the other hand have received a boost...
2008-05-09Economy / Paraguay
We are keeping our short-term political risk rating on hold at a lowly 52.1 this month owing to the uncertainties surrounding the upcoming transition of power from sitting President...
2008-05-09Economy / Paraguay
Preliminary figures indicate that the Paraguayan economy expended by 6.8% in 2007 (slightly bove our 6.4% forecast) thanks to the performance of construction, communications and exports...
2008-05-09
