In 2018, the volume traded in the Panamanian Stock Exchange totaled $6.100 million, 15% more than the data reported in 2017, mainly because of the behavior of the primary market.
The increase in the volume traded in 2018 represents a recovery in the stock market, since in 2017 the stock market activity of the Panama Stock Exchange (BVP) reported a 28% decrease compared to 2016.
Issuances registered between January and September 2016 exceed 60% of the total issuances registered throughout 2015, and projections are that the year will close with $7 billion traded in the local market.
The scandal generated from the leaked information about the firm Mossack Fonseca, "Panama Papers", and the questions about the lack of financial transparency that arose afterwards, do not seem to have affected the attractiveness of the stock market for providing finance to companies through the issuance of securities.
Limiting the debt of an issuer and an obligation to rate emissions are two of the requirements proposed by the regulator which have not been well received by the Panamanian securities market.
The proposal by the Superintendency of the Securities Market was subject to public consultation, and now "... these comments must be analyzed and classified, and in the upcoming board meetings they will be evaluated in an objective way," said the head of the institution, Marelissa Quintero.
In the primary market the amount of transactions recorded was $3.389 billion, 2% less than in 2013, while in the secondary market negotiations increased by 22%.
From the Annual Summary by the Panama Stock Exchange (BVP):
2014 was a year of significant achievement for the Panama Stock Exchange, annual trading volume increased by 4.7% compared to 2013, with total trading of $5.2 billion.
Between January and September $4.25 billion were traded in the stock market, up from the $3.093 billion traded in the same period in 2013.
The months reporting the largest amounts were March, with $697.5 million and July, with $578.6 million, while the months reporting lower volumes were January at $317.9 million and February at $335.4 million.
The placement of Panamanian securities through the Bloomberg platform will mean greater exposure to global investors and consequently increased demand.
It is expected that the Comptroller General's Office will endorse, no later than December, a contract to operate in the Bloomberg platform. From that moment the Panama Stock Exchange will no longer be used to issue Panamanian Government securities.
In the first six months of the year $3.250 million were traded, which is an increase of 33% compared to the amount traded in the same period in 2013.
The primary market, where fist time issues of shares and debt securities are recorded, had the most activity, with trading of $414.61 million between January and July 2014.
Laestrella.com.pa reports that "...In the case of the primary market in the month of July 2015, background shares reached $20.72 million, preferred shares $2.59 million, bonds $154.73 million and mortgage bonds $75 million."
The prolonged intervention of the Supreme Court in the Financial Pacific puts into question the adequate functioning and reputation of the financial system.
The latest news is that the Chief Superintendent of the Panama Stock Exchange (SMV), Alejandro Abood, could recuse himself in the stock market scandal of the brokerage firm Financial Pacific (FP), suspended for embezzling 14 million dollars.