In Panama, 77% of companies do not plan to make new investments during the fourth quarter of the year, and 38% do not intend to hire more employees.
According to a survey conducted by the Center for Economic Studies of the Chamber of Commerce of Panama, 10% of the companies surveyed expect to increase staffing, 50% will remain the same, while 2% do not know.
The new methodology that the Banco de Guatemala will use to measure the country's production incorporates six new sectors, which are included in the eleven already existing ones.
The Representatives of the Bank of Guatemala (Banguat) informed that in case of private services it will be divided into professional, scientific and technical activities, administrative services and support activities.
The number of households living in poverty increased by 1.1% between 2017 and 2018, increasing from 20% to 21.1% of the population.
Households living in poverty by poverty line (LP) represent 21.1% of the country's total, 1.1% more than the figure recorded in 2017. According to the National Institute of Census and Statistics, this increase is statistically significant.
The IMAE reported in August a 4% fall with respect to the same month in 2017, explained by the behavior of the economic activity registered in hotels, restaurants and shops.
In August, the monthly index of economic activity (IMAE) decreased 3.9 percent over the same month last year. The average annual variation increased 0.5 percent and the cumulative evolution of the January-August period decreased 1.5 percent. The implicit variation of the IMAE, estimated with the cyclical trend series, registered an interannual variation of -3.6 percent. Meanwhile, the seasonally adjusted series of the IMAE increased 0.6 percent compared to July 2018, reported the Central Bank of Nicaragua.
During the first nine months of the year, the country received $4.039 million in family remittances, 9% more than in the same period of 2017.
From the statement of the Central Reserve Bank:
El Salvador received US$4,039.4 million in family remittances up to September 2018 with a growth of 9.2%, which exceeded by US$340.6 million the income received under this concept in the same period of the previous year, informed the Central Reserve Bank (BCR).
Transport and communications were the sectors that contributed the most to the 3% year-on-year increase in economic activity up to August.
From the report of the General Comptroller:
The Monthly Index of Economic Activity (IMAE) in the Republic, for January-August 2018 increased by 3.09%, compared with the same period in 2017. The monthly interannual variation of August 2018 was 3.37%, compared with the same month of the previous year.
The upward trend in recent weeks in the dollar's price against the Colon has slowed.
According to figures from the Central Bank (BCCR), the exchange rate on the Monex wholesale market increased between August 17th and October 11th, from ¢568.35 to ¢597.43 per dollar, equivalent to a depreciation of 5.12%.
However, the constant depreciation registered by the Colon started to be contained at the end of last week, since on October 12th the weighted average in the Monex wholesale market was ¢595.41. The BCCR reported yesterday that the exchange rate dropped to ¢594.56 and today to ¢594.24.
In September, spending divisions that reported price increases included Transportation, Housing and Education.
The Central Bank of the Dominican Republic reported that the consumer price index (CPI) in September 2018 registered a variation of 0.08 % with respect to August, the accumulated inflation for the January-September 2018 period reached 1.52 %, while annualized inflation, measured from September 2017 to September 2018, was 3.29 %.
The complex economic and political situation that has affected Nicaragua since April continues to affect Central America, where exporters report losses of $45 million.
In the past months, cargo transport faced difficulties in moving goods along Nicaragua's highways due to demonstrators' blockades and insecurity, seriously affecting Central American companies.
Partly explained by the decline in business confidence, the International Monetary Fund expects Costa Rica's economy to grow 3.3% each year in 2018 and 2019.
The uncertainty in the economy is mainly due to the government's growing debt and fiscal deficit, as well as doubts about the future of the tax reform that was already approved in the first debate by the Legislative Assembly, but now awaits the approval of the Constitutional Chamber.
During this year, the Central Bank of Costa Rica has had to spend $1.1 billion of its reserves to participate in the exchange market and counteract the upward trend in the dollar price with respect to the Colon.
According to figures from the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR), from August 17 to October 12 the exchange rate in the wholesale market Monex has been increasing, going from ¢568.35 to ¢595.46 per dollar, which is equivalent to a depreciation of 4.76%. [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graph"]
The IMF projected a 3.2% growth in GDP for Guatemala in April, but in its latest review the institution reduced the figure to 2.8%.
As the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Bank of Guatemala also reduced the projected growth of the Gross Domestic Product from 3.8% to between 2.8% and 3.2%.
The 3.8% YoY growth reported during August in Costa Rica is mainly explained by the construction sector, which has been on an upward trend since March.
The trend series of the Monthly Economic Activity Index (IMAE) presented an interannual growth of 3.8% in August 2018, higher by 0.1 percentage points (p.p.) than the interannual variation rate of the previous month. The average rate for January-August was 3.4%, while the accumulated variation of the last twelve months showed a growth of 3.2%, informed the Central Bank of Costa Rica.
The Costa Rican currency continues to depreciate, and the exchange rate in some Banks was already 600 Colones and more per dollar.
The upward trend of the exchange rate in Costa Rica has been observed in recent days. The Central Bank estimates that between September 27 and October 11, the exchange rate in the wholesale market Monex reported a clear upward trend, which is reflected in the increase from ¢570.75 to ¢597.43 per dollar, equivalent to a depreciation of 4.67%. [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
The exchange rate in the wholesale market Monex reported a clear upward trend during the first four days of the week in Costa Rica, increasing from ¢589.49 to almost ¢600 per dollar.
The Costa Rican currency depreciation against the U.S. dollar has been increasing in recent weeks, mainly due to the uncertainty over the fiscal situation and the greater perception of risk by investors and consumers, even though the tax reform law has already been approved in the first debate. The new law's future depends on the Constitutional Chamber, which must give its approval before being discussed and eventually approved in the second debate. See: "Tax reform: Partial Solution." [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graphic"]
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