Price of a gallon of regular gasoline: Costa Rica $4.22, Nicaragua $3.99, Honduras $3.83, El Salvador $3.62, Guatemala $3.60 and Panama $3.33.
From a report by the Ministry of Economy of El Salvador:
-Geopolitical events that took place in the month of May between the United States and Iran, led to an increase in the prices of petroleum products, which has been felt in the global market, due to the economic sanctions that focus on reducing the supply of exports to the international hydrocarbons market.
In 2016, the average cost of 1 kWh in Central America was 13.48 cents, while in Costa Rica, it was 18.47 cents.
A report from the CEPAL indicates that in 2016, the average cost of one kilowatt hour (kWh) in Central America was 13.48 cents, while in Costa Rica it was 18.47 cents; 37% more for industrial consumption of 100,000 kWh.In El Salvador and Guatemala, it was 11.03 and 11.54 cents respectively. In Panama, 10.92 cents.
The five fastest growing products in the exportable offer in the third quarter of 2017 covered 45% of total exports and were medical devices, sugar, pineapple, parts for transmitters and receivers for televisions, radios and the like, and bananas.
From a quarterly report on Exports of Goods and Services up to the III quarter, by Procomer:
In 2016 44% of foreign direct investment in the region was concentrated in Panama, and a fourth consecutive year of increases was recorded, with 16%, while Costa Rica received 27% and increased by only 1.1%.
From chapter I of the report "Flows of FDI in Latin America and the Caribbean", by the ECLAC:
FDI into Central America grew by 3.7% in 2016 and totaled 11,833 million dollars.The increase in investments to the two main recipients of the subregion -Panama, which recieved 44%, and Costa Rica, 27%- compensated for the drop in FDI to the other Central American countries.
The monthly index of economic activity in the region, compiled by CentralAmericaData, registered a year-on-year growth of 3% in April.
Figures from the Information System ´Central American Macroeconomic Monitoring´ by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmerica Data: [Figure caption = "Click to interact with the graphic"]
Trade in goods in the region is showing signs of recovery with an increase in exports to third-party trading partners and an increase in intraregional imports.
From the Trade Monitor report by the Economic Secretariat for Central American Integration (SIECA):
Central America, July 10, 2017.Trade in goods in Central America shows signs of recovery with an increase in exports to third-party trading partners and an increase in intraregional imports, according to figures from the most recent Central American Trade Monitor for the first quarter of 2017.The main results derived from the Monitor are as follows:
In Costa Rica, the Ministry of Finance is using a predictive model designed with data mining techniques to determine the behavioral patterns of companies that might be circumventing tax payments.
Analyzing and crossing checking historical information from multiple databases, the statistical model used by the Directorate General of Taxation attempts to predict which companies are more likely to evade paying taxes depending on their historical behavior measured through transactions, tax returns and other data.By linking all of the information, they identify patterns of behavior similar to those of other companies that have evaded taxes in the past.
Between January and September 2016 the region exported 664,000 metric tons of coffee, 5% more than in the same period in 2015.
Figures from the information system on thecoffee market in Central America complied by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [Figure caption = "Click to interact with graphics"]
Between January and September 2016, Central America exported 37,000 tons of frozen fruit, 9% less than in the same period in 2015.
Figures from the information system on thefrozen fruit market in Centralcomplied by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [Figure caption = "Click to interact with graphics"]
In the second quarter, the region exported $14,440 million, of which 31% went to the intra-regional market and 69% to other markets.
From the Trade Monitor of the Economic Secretariat for Central American Integration (SIECA):
Central America, October 6, 2016.The dynamics of regional trade continue in a negative phase in terms of aggregate growth and internal results in many countries, however, when compared with that seen in the previous quarter a slowdown can be seen in retail trade.
Of the 34,629 GWh generated in 2015 by the countries included in SICA, 68% came from hydropower, 11% from cogeneration in sugar mills, 11% was geothermal, 9% wind and 0.1% based on biogas.
From a report by Cepal entitled "Statistics of electricity production by countries in the Central American Integration System (SICA)":
With 43% of the total, in 2015 Panama continued to be the largest recipient of FDI in the subregion, followed by Costa Rica (26%), Honduras (10%) and Guatemala (10%).
From the chapter Central America in the report on Foreign Direct Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean:
From 2014 to 2015 the size of central governments remained constant at an average 18.5% of gross domestic product (GDP).
From the introduction of the report: "Macrofiscal Profiles: 6th Edition" by the Central American Institute for Fiscal Studies (Icefi):
2015 proved to be a period of low tax advance for the Central American region. On average, the size of central governments remained constant compared to 2014, at 18.5% of gross domestic product (GDP). However, not all nations maintained this trend in the same way. While the governments of Nicaragua, Costa Rica and El Salvador, some of the largest fiscally in the region, continued to increase their participation in the economy, reporting increases of 1.5, 0.7 and 0.7% of GDP, respectively, the Government of Guatemala - one of the smallest in the world became even smaller, being reduced by 1.2% of GDP. For its part, the Government of Honduras reported a small decrease of 0.2% of GDP, fully converged with its policy of fiscal austerity, while that of Panama had a transient contraction of 1.4%, reflecting a reorganization established by the new administration and that, according to the plans for 2016, will be reversed in full.
The change in methodology implemented by the Central Bank of Costa Rica in the National Accounts System sheds light on problems that cause lack of competitiveness, tax injustice and social inequity.
EDITORIAL
An editorial in Nacion.com draws conclusions on the need to adapt the measurement of GDP in Costa Rica, to the changes taking place in the economy at the end of last century and what has elapsed so far in the present one.
Between January and November, the region exported 651,000 metric tons of coffee, 4.14% more than in the same period in 2014.
Figures from Central Agricultural Monitor, prepared by the Business Intelligence unit at CentralAmericaData.com reveal that Central American coffee exports maintained their growth.
Between January and November 2015, the region exported 651,517 metric tons of coffee, equivalent to $2,387.7 million.