COLOMBIA SUFFERS A SETBACK.(defeat of Colombian President Alvaro
Uribe's reform referendum)(Brief Article)
Until October of 2003, it appeared that Colombian President Alvaro
Uribe had the political clout to make fundamental reforms that could put
the nations economy back on track. However, the defeat of . . .
MEXICO POISED FOR BROAD-BASED RECOVERY.(Brief Article)
Mexican retail sales showed surprisingly healthy growth through the
second half of 2003 and overall growth for the year came out to be about
3 percent. Roughly the same level of growth should hold . . .
BOLIVIA'S PRIVATE SECTOR STAGNATION.(Brief Article)
Commercial activity in Bolivia has been stagnant for about two
years and it appears that the situation will not improve significantly
over the next two to three quarters. Internal demand for goods . . .
COSTA RICA'S UNEVEN SALES RECOVERY.(Brief Article)
In recent months, Costa Rica's external sales have shown clear
evidence of recovery but internal demand for goods and services remains
depressed. As a result, growth in private sector spending . . .
MEXICAN RETAIL SALES POISED TO REBOUND.(Industry
Overview)
Mexican retail sales have experienced modest growth in recent
months but sustainable healthy gains are on the horizon once the nations
export sector comes back to life.
During the second half of . . .
BOLIVIA CAUGHT IN A DOWNWARD SPIRAL.(Brief Article)
During October of 2003, a deadly uprising removed President Gonzalo
Sanchez de Lozada from power and underscored Bolivias inability to
emerge from the political quagmire that has developed in . . .
PERU SCORES ECONOMIC GAINS, BUT POVERTY LINGERS.
Macroeconomic factors that come to bear on private sector
consumption have been favorable in Peru for the past two years, but the
majority of the consumer base is marginalized from formal channels . . .
BRIGHTER PANORAMA FOR COLOMBIAN SALES.(Brief Article)
Colombias overall consumption panorama is brightening, but deep
seated concerns related to inflation and unemployment will prevent
private sector consumption from living up to potential in 2004.
. . .
IMPOVERISHED ARGENTINES CUT SPENDING.(Brief Article)
During the 1980s and 1990s, Argentina's consumers enjoyed a
level of income superior to those of their South American counterparts
and that led to strong growth in demand for products and . . .
BOLIVIA'S SERVICE SECTOR HITS HARD TIMES.(Brief
Article)
During the first three quarters of 2003, there were signs that
Bolivias economy is coming back to life, but orders for activities in
the service sector remained depressed. Sectors that have . . .
ARGENTINE COMMERCIAL GROWTH IN DOUBT.(Brief Article)
The upward momentum in Argentine private sector spending that
followed the precipitous decline of 2002 and early 2003 appears to be
subsiding. The persistent shortage of foreign investment capital . . .
ECUADORIAN COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY TO REVIVE.
In the year 2000, Ecuador dollarized its economy in an attempt to
prevent a repeat of the devastating 1999 currency collapse, but consumer
price inflation remained stubbornly high. Starting in the . . .
CHILE LEADS IN HIGH-END SALES.(Brief Article)
Chiles purchasing power parity per capita of US$10,220 ranks it
first among Latin American nations and has also helped to make Chile a
regional leader in per capita consumption of high-end goods . . .
BRAZILIAN CONSUMPTION TO GET BACK ON TRACK.
During last years election process, many fears were voiced about
the economic policies that would be espoused by leftist president Inacio
Lula da Silva, but the administration has been surprisingly . . .
EQUIPMENT SALES ON THE RISE IN PANAMA.(Brief Article)
Government incentives aimed at stimulating expenditure in the
construction sector in Panama are beginning to have an effect. By the
fourth quarter of 2003, sales of new construction equipment were . . .
CHILEAN HOUSEHOLD SPENDING TO RISE.(Brief Article)
A gradual improvement in consumer confidence coupled with
increasing availability of consumer credit during the second half of
2003 has set the stage for increased household expenditure during . . .
STAGFLATION HITS VENEZUELAN CONSUMERS.
In recent months, a pattern of stagflation has created an extremely
harsh climate for private sector consumption in Venezuela. The prolonged
recession, coupled with punishing high inflation, is . . .
MEXICANS PUT MAJOR PURCHASES ON HOLD.(Brief Article)
The macroeconomic climate for Mexican consumption is gradually
improving, yet consumers express an unwillingness to venture into
financed high-end purchases.
Recent survey results released by . . .
ARGENTINA'S FIRM INTERNAL DEMAND.
Argentinas 2002 economic crisis caused the nations consumers to
substitute local products for imports on a large scale. Now that
households are regaining some of their lost purchasing power, . . .
A BRIGHTENING PANORAMA IN URUGUAY.(influences on Uruguay's
economy)(Brief Article)
Private sector consumption in Uruguay took a beating during 2002
and 2003 as an unsavory mix of declining real income and weak consumer
confidence caused households and businesses alike to put . . .
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