Aldesa introduced an investment fund made up of $100 shares to finance the Ad Astra Rocket Company, which is developing a plasma engine for space travel.
A press release by Aldesa states that the fund, entitled “the Aurora Fund”, will be administered by INS SAFI investment and will invest in shares of the Ad AstraRocket Company, which was founded and chaired by astronaut Franklin Chang Diaz.
In Costa Rica, 55% of the total in investment funds is in extreme liquidity instruments.
The fear caused by the financial crisis has prompted investors to abandon growth and income investment funds which typically offer better returns and put their money in highly liquid, low return funds, where the money can be withdrawn in less than 24 hours.
According to the article by Esteban Ramírez Castro, published in elfinancierocr.com, this has caused low levels of performance similar to that obtained with bank certificates: "Money market funds in colones remained close to 7% for the last 30 days, two points down from the inflation projected for 2009. As a reference, overnight certificates from the Central Bank with a one-day term are paying 7.75% and even 30-day rates can go as high as 9%."
Investors in Costa Rican government securities are expected to benefit from an upgrade in the nation's debt rating.
Standard & Poor's rating agency raised Costa Rica from BB "stable" to BB "positive". Although Costa Rica remains relatively vulnerable in meeting its short-term commitments, the trend is toward an improvement, it said.
The change is expected to lead to a greater return for those who have invested in government titles, and it will improve the government's ability to fulfill its near-term obligations.
As pressure build up on Costa Rica's money markets, the only way seems to be up for the US dollar.
The nation's current account balance is showing a large deficit, and flows of investment – both financial and direct – are down. "There's a combination of factors behind the rise in the dollar's exchange rate," said Andrés Víquez, manager of the Aldesa brokerage.