Wealth ManagementWednesday, February 22, 2012 Clients of wealth management programs are those who hold capital investment worth over $250,000, requiring services to guarantee its duration and growth. In Latin America there is an increasing number of young people who have reached an economic level that has allowed them to pay for their homes, provide basic education for their children, build savings, and who want to consolidate their future in terms of higher education, gain security with health plans, and obtain additional income for their retirement plans. Economics of Corporate ReputationWednesday, July 18, 2012 Corporate reputation is the perception that stakeholders have of how a company meets their respective expectations. At its core, reputation is an emotional impulse that emerges as feelings of admiration, respect, trust and a good impression of the company. It is not to be confused with corporate responsibility, as it sometimes is. Insurance and the US FATCA LawWednesday, August 8, 2012 How insurers are affected by the new regime requiring reports to the U.S. government from foreign financial institutions. An article in Martesfinanciero.com reports that in Panama, "those involved in the sector are awaiting the outcome of an agreement between Panama and the U.S., so as to 'adhere to a regulation that has not been signed yet", says Dino Mon, vice president of Mapfre Panama. " Mobile Internet Is the Way ForwardWednesday, July 7, 2010 Telecoms companies should cut their package prices to enable mass Internet access. "While Latin America is one of the regions with most cell phones (three for every PC), the reality is that the telcoms companies are still conspiring to limit the inevitable growth in using them for web-access." International Artists: Good BusinessTuesday, November 17, 2009 Audiences are willing to pay from $25 to $350 to watch the performance of renowned artists. Organizing musical events with international artists is a rising business in Panama. While performers might charge from $70.000 to $500.000, depending on their prestige, organizers of the activity make a profit of between 20% and 40%. Brazilian Coffee Harvest Down 13%Tuesday, January 11, 2011 The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture predicted coffee production will fall this year by 13% as trees fall into the lower half of the biennial performance cycle. As outlined in the article in Martesfinanciero.com, "Farmers will harvest between 41.9 million and 44.7 million bags this year, compared to 48.1 million bags harvested last year, stated Conab on its website, a department from the Ministry of Agriculture specializing in crop forecasting ." Mortgage BrokersWednesday, May 27, 2009 These agents are intermediaries in mortgage management, obtaining advantages regarding both interest rates and contractual terms for their clients. During the real estate boom in Panama, these intermediaries—people with good connections in the banking and real estate market—had foreign investors, generally from the U.S., as their main clients, assisting them in the process of obtaining mortgages for properties valued at over $200,000. Insurers Weather the StormWednesday, December 16, 2009 The insurance industry kept on growing, albeit at a lower pace, in spite of economic and financial crisis. In 2008 this industry sold 17% more insurance than in 2007, summing over $3 billion sales. It slowed considerably in 2009, but managed to maintain positive growth numbers. Different Ways of Confronting the CrisisTuesday, June 23, 2009 Truism: management practices for businesses during times of crisis cannot be the same as those used during boom times. Even though Panama appears to be doing a better job of dealing with the global crisis compared to other countries in the region, signs of a slowdown are clear. Commercial activity has decreased nearly 10% in the first quarter of 2009. Subsidies Should Be TemporaryThursday, January 10, 2013 There should be time limits placed on any subsidies given to sectors of the population or the economy, so that they do not end depending on the state. Martesfinanciero.com studied the case of subsidies granted by the Panamanian government, invoking the old adage "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach him to fish and you’ll feed him for the rest of his life." Two Pluses and a NegativeThursday, February 14, 2013 Feedback to employees should contain both praise and criticism. In his discussion in an article in Martesfinanciero.com, Ernesto Bazan notes the importance of the art of the sandwich, when talking with employees about their performance evaluation. Digital Supermarkets Are HereTuesday, November 26, 2019 In a situation where consumers are less and less willing to spend their time on the move, and where they value the convenience businesses provide when shopping, digital supermarkets are beginning to gain market in the region. New companies that have emerged as supermarkets that do not have physical sales areas and are operated entirely online have found acceptance in some Central American countries. Implications of a $1 billion InvestmentWednesday, June 8, 2016 The 380 MW natural gas plant to be built by AES in Panama promises to change the country's energy matrix, and the way energy is generated and distributed in Central America. The economic flow that has already started with the construction of the gas plant in the province of Colon will be felt not only in the energy sector in Panama, which could become an energy generating and distribution hub in the region, but also in other productive sectors that will benefit from greater stability in energy costs and generate greater dynamism in logistics and shipping. Faster Purchases and the Future of Digital PaymentWednesday, July 17, 2019 The preference for electronic financial transactions increases everyday, but the trend is to migrate to contactless payments, which will allow consumers to make their purchases 10 times faster than the traditional way. Specialists in the subject explain that unlike the payment methods that until now are the most used in the region, contactless payments simply consist of holding a card in a payment reader to proceed with the transaction. Cargo Movement and the Future of BusinessWednesday, July 31, 2019 Building specialized docks for the auxiliary marine industry and increasing the capacity to deliver quickly by air are some of the challenges that Panama will face in the coming years. The Panamanian economy depends heavily on the logistics sector, but currently faces new challenges because of the increasing competition from other regional players who offer better costs in managing cargo on a large scale. |
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