The Central American Bank for Economic Integration approved a $24 million extension of an existing line of credit, funds that will be invested in the implementation of sustainable production models and forest management and reforestation.
These funds will be used to increase financing for the "Bio-CLIMA Project: Integrated Climate Action to Reduce Deforestation and Strengthen Resilience in the Bosawas and Rio San Juan Biosphere Reserves" on Nicaragua's Caribbean Coast.
The Central American Bank for Economic Integration approved a $21.4 million extension for the financing of the "Project to Improve the Technical and Operational Capabilities of Puerto Corinto."
This extension brings the total amount guaranteed to $184.6 million, making it the largest investment in the country's port sector in recent decades, informed the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI).
The Central American Bank for Economic Integration approved a line of credit, whose funds will be used by the Nicaraguan government for the construction of six pre-industrialized steel modular hospitals.
The initiative is focused on the construction of 6 pre-industrialized and pre-designed modular steel hospitals in five cities of the country, with a 378-bed capacity and their respective equipment, informed the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI).
The Central American Bank for Economic Integration approved a line of credit that the government will use to finance programs in the education, health, housing and road infrastructure sectors.
The loan is aimed at the Multisectoral Program for Economic Reactivation and Social Protection (NIC-Solidaria), which aims to initially support at least 41 projects and programs of public investment, production and social assistance, reported the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI).
In this scenario of economic crisis, the Nicaraguan market reported a 25% decrease in the balance of the vehicle loan portfolio between December 2019 and September 2020.
Data from the Superintendence of Banks and Other Financial Institutions (Siboif) detail that at the end of last year the balance of the loan portfolio requested to buy a vehicle amounted to $199 million, but in this context of falling productive activity generated by the outbreak of covid-19, the balance recorded as of September 2020 fell to $149 million.
With a line of credit from CABEI, the Nicaraguan government will finance projects focused on the transformation of extensive cattle raising, agriculture and wood exploitation.
The Board of Directors approved the financing proposal for the Bio-CLIMA Project: integrated climate action to reduce deforestation and strengthen resilience in BOSAWÁS and the Rio San Juan biosphere in Nicaragua, for a total amount of $115.7 million, reported the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI).
Between July and October 2020, the number of people in El Salvador exploring mortgage options online increased by 18%, and the number of Costa Rican consumers looking to buy credit cards decreased by 60%.
CentralAmericaData's interactive platform Consumer Insights monitors in real time the changes in consumer habits in all markets in the region and in other Latin American countries, with fundamental information to understand their behavior, new trends and anticipate eventual changes in their purchase patterns.
Between May and June of this year, the average lending rate of commercial banks has fallen from 11.52% to 10.28%, a drop that is explained by the high level of liquidity of the banks and the low placement of credits.
The pandemic that caused the outbreak of covid-19 has hit the financial system, since due to the current market conditions, the active rates have come down between the months of May and July.
In the last few months, interest in credit cards has been increasing in the digital environment, a rise that is mainly explained by the behavior of consumers in Panama, Honduras, El Salvador and Costa Rica.
Through a system monitoring changes in consumer interests and preferences in Central American countries in real time, developed by CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project short and long term demand trends for the different products, sectors and markets operating in the region.
In the second quarter of the year, interest on vehicle loans fell considerably, but in recent weeks in the region's markets the outlook changed and the number of interactions associated with the issue increased among consumers.
Through a system that monitors changes in consumer interests and preferences in Central American countries in real time, developed by CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project short and long-term demand trends for the different products, sectors and markets that operate in the region.
In the countries of the region, more than 8 million people are looking for credit on the Internet. Of this group of consumers, approximately 9% explore options for taking out a student loan.
The interactive information system developed by CentralAmericaData monitors in real time the changes in consumer habits in all markets of the region, with fundamental information to understand the new commercial environment that has emerged in an accelerated manner.
The coronavirus has left an economic impact in several countries. For this reason, some governments are developing exceptional measures to mitigate its effects. For example, the suspension of tax and mortgage payments to lessen the economic pressure on small businesses and households.
In the United States, interest rates were reduced to almost zero and a US$700 billion stimulus program was launched in a bid to protect its economy, says Mario Miranda, director of finance at MonederoSMART.
Given the political and economic crisis affecting the country since April 2018, a scenario that has combined with the crisis of covid-19, the loan portfolio increased from $5,172 million in March 2018 to $3,404 million at the end of April 2020.
According to figures of the Superintendence of Banks and Other Financial Institutions (Siboif), in the first four months of the year a decrease in the credit portfolio is also reflected, since it went from $3.578 million reported at the closing of 2019 to $3.404 million recorded in April 2020, representing -5% variation for the four-month period in question.
A loan from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration will finance the "National Program for the Construction of Social Interest Housing."
The international organization reported that these resources will be used to finance the "National Program for the Construction of Social Interest Housing."
With a $50 million loan from the IDB, the CMI Alimentos business group will expand its operations in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.
The loan was placed through IDB Invest, a member of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group, and the operation is intended to finance fixed investments that will help CMI Alimentos continue improving its productivity.