The excessive volatility in the financial markets and the low investor and consumer confidence levels are omens that the crisis is going to last, which is being translated into lower levels of consumption and investment and high unemployment rates in the most developed countries.

The region is already experiencing the consequences of global economic contraction caused by the financial crisis, due to the high degree of external openness (66%) and to the rapidity of which the crisis transmittal mechanisms act: exports, family remittances, tourism, foreign investment and credit.

Source: Central American Executive Secretariat of the Monetary Council

More on this topic

SECMCA - Situation Report - September 2009

October 2009

One year after the fall of Lehman Brothers, SECMCA analyzes the international situation, and Central America's perspectives and current situation.

Production continues to fall, as evidenced by the Central American Monthly Economic Activity Index, confirming a process started on the last trimester of 2008. June's variation was -1.9% when compared to the same month of the previous year.

SECMCA: Regional Economic Report, August 2009

September 2009

Inflation, Economic Growth, Trade, Fiscal Sector and the Monetary Sector.

Regional inflation has considerably decelerated in the past quarters, as a result of the application of a series of prudent monetary policy measures, and some exogenous factors related to the abrupt deceleration of the global economy.

Regional Production and Inflation Continue to Drop

April 2009

Situation Report for March 2009 by the Executive Secretary of the Central American Monetary Council (SECMCA).

The Central American - Dominican Republic region could experience economic stagnation or a slight decline in 2009. According to what was published in the February report, econometric projections of regional economic growth already considered that the area of economic stagnation is at its bottom point.

Central America's economy slowing

July 2008

Economic growth is slowing down in Central America, but economic activity is still positive in spite of the slowdown in the United States, says the Central American Monetary Board in its June report.

The numbers from the board's Monthly Economic Activity Index for the firs three months of this year show a process of deceleration in both short- and long-term trends and a downturn in the business cycle.