During 2018, family remittances to Central American countries and the Dominican Republic totaled $28.670 million, of which $9.288 million went to Guatemala.
In 2018, family remittances to Central America and the Dominican Republic (CARD) grew 11%, showing a slight slowdown with respect to what was observed in 2017 (12.0%). This slight slowdown was observed in all countries except Honduras, explained the Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLAC).
In an unstable exchange market, lack of transparency in the rules on intervention by the Central Bank of Costa Rica increases uncertainty and drives investors towards the safest currency.
EDITORIAL
The rise in the price of the dollar in Costa Rica is a negative factor for some sectors and positive for others, but generally negative for the economy, because it distorts companies' plans, diminishing their competitiveness, and because it increases market players' willingness to speculate.
For the first time in nine years, the Federal Reserve has raised the benchmark interest rate, by 0.25%, starting off a process of a gradual adjustment which will make credit more expensive.
After seven years of interest rates at historical lows, signs of recovery in the US economy have led the Federal Reserve to announce the first upward adjustment in the federal funds rate, the main reference rate for structuring interest rates in the United States and around the world.
Some companies can become richer than others overnight, depending on decisions made by a few public officials.
Editorial
An article in Elfinancierocr.com reports on the positive effects of the devaluation of the national currency of Costa Rica, the-Colón, agains the dollar, for exporters in the country.
The causes of the devaluation were mainly external, but were catalyzed by decisions made by public officials, the Central Bank, whose missive it is to defend the value of the national currency, because this supposedly contributes to the economy.
In the next two years, the RMB or Chinese yuan could become one of the major currencies used in global trade.
This was said in London by Douglas Flint, chairman of HSBC Holdings SA, adding that "the renminbi (RMB) will be a growing part of normal business in the everyday life for anyone who trades or invests in China."
"All international business with an eye on China should consider the potential benefits of using the RMB and the investment opportunities in RMB that have been created around the world with the support of the burgeoning overseas markets, particularly in foreign bonds markets," he said.
With gold as a prime example, the recommendation to protect purchasing power is to diversify by acquiring natural resource assets, particularly productive land.
Although the European crisis has shown that despite the enormity of the U.S’s public debt, bonds that back it still have the confidence of many investors, the dollar as a reserve asset raises many doubts.
Good news for importers and store owners, bad news for exporters. Governments cannot afford to ignore this problem.
The causes of the appreciation in the value of Latin American currencies relative to the United States dollar are varied. The main reason is the current weakness of the US economy and the low expectations of a quick recovery. In addition, Central and South American economies are doing well, boosted by high commodity prices and the way their financial systems withstood the last crisis.
The recent increase in the value of the Costa Rican colon versus the dollar is worrisome, not only because there are no clear reasons to explain it, but also because it would be hard to contain it without causing greater problems.
In the past weeks, and without apparent reason, the price of the U.S. dollar in Costa Rica dropped considerably.
Last week we surveyed some financial operators as to why these movements where occurring, the general answer being: “we don’t know”.
Tradition says that in moment of panic gold is the refuge, but this time gold has not been a good recommendation.
These are the questions being asked to antiamericans. Why, in the middle of the worst financial crisis since the great depression, the collapse of the banking system and the strongest recession experienced in our lives, is the dollar getting stronger and is giving a hard and strong lesson to the the traditional gold?
A barrel of Brent petroleum has passed the 146-dollar mark and could rise even higher if the European Central Bank raises interest rates.
The latest price increase followed an announcement by the United States government that its oil inventories have fallen more than expected.
World petroleum prices have doubled in the past year.
The combination of the weak dollar, high demand for crudd and fears over a possible interruption of supply in the Middle East and Africa are the reasons for this most recent round of price increases.