In Costa Rica, it is expected that the downward trend that has been showing the exchange rate since February will intensify in the coming months, when the $3.580 million begins to enter as a result of the issuance of Eurobonds and loans granted by external entities.
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
According to data from the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR), between the beginning of February and July 30 of this year, there has been a fall of up to 44 colones per dollar, reporting a drop in the average rate in the wholesale market Monex from ¢613.87 to ¢570.13.
The BCCR specifies that during the last months of July, at bank counters, the selling exchange rate has been quoted between ¢577 and ¢584 per dollar.
In addition to this downward trend, in the next few months a considerable amount of foreign exchange will come in, as the government will receive $1.5 billion from the issuance of Eurobonds and $2.08 billion from budget support loans.
Rodrigo Cubero, president of the BCCR, told Elobservadorcr.com that "... a good part of the resources in dollars that come from abroad will come out later, because the Government has to face domestic and foreign debt payments in dollars. Another party may have to "colonize" - become colonists - in order to face payments or obligations in national currency."
Regarding the actions that the BCCR can take to avoid abrupt fluctuations, Cubero pointed out that "... the entity could do several things. One of them is to accumulate the dollars because those operations have an expiration date and the government will have to face its repayment needs in the future. So the Central Bank can act as an impact mitigator on the exchange rate of those movements."
Another option would be for the Central Bank to use them to meet its own needs. For example, the bank received a loan from the Latin American Reserve Fund (FLAR) in March 2018. That credit is already being repaid in quarterly packages of $125 million, according to the head of the BCCR.
With the aim of cushioning the fall in the price of the dollar, which between November 5 and 25 was reduced in ₡18,35, in just two days the Central Bank intervened buying more than $30 million.
Of the $41.5 million negotiated at Monex during the November 22 session, the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR) purchased $36 million, and of the $30.7 million negotiated on November 25, the monetary authority acquired $27 million.
Because of the growing supply of dollars in the local market, which is explained in part by the income of $1.5 billion from the recent issue of Eurobonds, so far in November the price per dollar in the wholesale market has been reduced at ₡16,55.
Official figures from the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR) report a downward trend in recent weeks, as between November 5 and 22 the price has dropped from ₡585,52 to ₡568,97, equivalent to a 3% variation. See full figures.
In an attempt to limit exchange rate volatility, the Central Bank has determined that non-bank public companies can no longer trade currencies in the Monex wholesale market.
As explained by the entity, the foreign exchange requirements of the Non Banking Public Sector will not be served directly by the BCCR using international reserves.
The exchange rate in the wholesale market reached 558 colones per dollar, while at bank counters one dollar was being sold (on Wednesday March 5th) at 565 colones.
The price of the dollar in Costa Rica has not found an upper limit, trading at 565 colones per dollar at some bank counters, which is sixty colons more than earlier this year.