The World Bank recently became the first foreign issuer to launch bonds denominated in Chilean pesos. In February, the World Bank opened markets in Mexico as well, issuing in that […]
Category: Regions
Posted inMagazine
Holding on at the Top
Panama’s Banco del Istmo has swallowed Pribanco to create Central America’s largest bank. But can the new bank successfully expand in a region peppered with tough competitors?
Posted inMagazine
Front Notes
The election of Vicente Fox as Mexico’s next president was a triumph both for the cowboy-booted former Coke executive and for the country’s effort to distance itself from the rest […]
Posted inMagazine
Spanish Spending Spree
Spain’s Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria spent more than it planned to buy Mexico’s second-biggest bank. With BBVA’s substantial assets and promise of profits, colonial domination isn’t looking so bad.
Posted inMagazine
Colombia Fights to get its Message Across
Colombia has not looked this bad for many years. Civil conflict, a deteriorating economy and political disarray are keeping investors away. Bogotá has a tough sales job.
Posted inMagazine
Shifting Shares in the Colombian Banking System
Foreign banks have bought a substantial chunk of Colombia’s banking system as they have in most other Latin American markets. Foreign-owned banks now account for 42% of the country’s financial […]
Posted inMagazine
FDI Bolsters Bolivian Economy
Foreign direct investment has flowed into Bolivia at a faster rate than in any other Latin American country since the mid-1990s. In 1998, almost $900 million entered the country, equivalent […]
Posted inMagazine
Carlos Slim Slams Banacci
Spain’s Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria received some useful moral support from Carlos Slim, Mexico’s richest and most successful businessman, in its bid to take over the country’s second-largest bank, Bancomer. […]
Posted inMagazine
Consortium To Power Metals Producer
Alstom, the French-British power contractor, and Sithe Energies won a $300 million contract to build a power plant in Mexico for Industrias Peñoles, the world’s biggest silver producer. Alstom and […]
Posted inMagazine
Going Local for Longer-Term Loans
With inflation in check and a modest debt repayment schedule, Mexico wants to develop its internal debt market with fixed-rate bonds. Is the market ready to assume the risk?