The bank of Guatemalan origin has announced the completion of the purchase process of Procredit and the beginning of operations in December, focusing its services on the agricultural sector.
After completing the purchase process of shares of ProCredit Bank for $30 million, Banrural has announced that it will start operations with 15 agencies nationwide. Its main customer is the agricultural sector, but it also provides loans to SMEs in all areas.
Swiss bankers have detected interesting sectors in the country to whom they can provide services and financing.
"Proof of this is that it is not only the banks USB, BSI and Merrill Lynch whose representative offices form part of the International Banking Center (CBI), but also at least another three new ones will soon implement projects in Panama," reported Capital.com.pa.
The Rural Development Bank plans to open 21 branches in Honduras, investing $40 million.
Guatemalan banks are expanding into Central America. This time it is the Banrural, which has plans to open 21 branches in Honduras after obtaining permission from the authorities.
"The two largest banks in Guatemala have crossed the border and are competing for the Central American financial market, setting up operations in El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica and Panama; now they are being joined by the Rural Development Bank (Banrural) which has decided to enter Honduras and in the long term is also interested in expanding into El Salvador", reports ElPeriodico.com.
The Honduran banking group has opened its first regional agency in the Panamanian banking center.
Camilo Atala, Grupo Ficohsa’s chairman, said the headquarters in Panama will serve as a platform to expand into the rest of the Central American market.
An article in Laprensa.hn contains statements by the executive, "Ficohsa will operate with international license in Panama,.
The Guatemalan bank will invest $20 million in the opening of five agencies in El Salvador.
Luis Lara Groject, Banco Industrial's manager, commented that the opening had been planned for May but the development of information systems took longer than expected.
According to elperiodico.com.gt the new Salvadoran branches will have $20 million worth of capital initially.
As part of its expansion plan in the country, the banking institution opened a new branch in Alajuela.
During 2010, the bank plans to open 4 new offices.
“This new office aims to increase the number of deposits from the public, which grew 40% during 2009. Banco Cathay was funded in 1998”, reported El Financiero.