GlobalSource Partners | Country Insights

Executive SummaryCosta Rican President-elect Luis Guillermo Solis will face challenges after taking office May 8th. Just two days after his landslide victory, Intel Corp. announced it would close its manufacturing facilities in Costa Rica. The closing will be completed by yearend, and involve the...

Facing Political Challenges

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC · Report · 22 Apr 2014

Executive Summary Though his approval ratings are high, and the opposition is divided, President Danilo Medina faces two critical political challenges. The first is the passage of a naturalization bill that would address the status of the descendents of undocumented immigrants. The bill, which th...

Political Insights: Week of April 21

BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 21 Apr 2014

The Monday (April 21) Tiradentes holiday will slow down legislative activity.The Senate may vote on the Internet Framework Law.In the House, the Ethics Council may vote on the preliminary report in favor of the removal of Rep. André Vargas (PT-SP).On Wednesday, President Dilma Rousseff participat...

Weekly Tracker: April 20-26

TURKEY · Report · 20 Apr 2014

Executive Summary Incumbent president Gul may have announced his retirement from active politics, but he may still have a role to play in AKP’s future. Erdogan intends to run for the Presidency and govern the country on a Presidential System if he wins.Upcoming changes to be introduced to the ele...

Vox Populi poll on brazil presidential election

BRAZIL POLITICS · In Brief · 17 Apr 2014

The Vox Populi Institute released a new voting intentions poll for the presidential race, conducted on April 6-8. The poll reveals a stable scenario, compared to February. According to the results, president Dilma Rousseff (PT), with 40% of intended votes, would win in the first round. Senator Aé...

Brazil Presidential Election

BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 17 Apr 2014

Vox Populi shows a stable scenario On April 16, the Vox Populi Institute released a new voting intention poll, conducted April 6-8, for the presidential race.The poll reveals a stable scenario compared to February (see Table 1 below). According to the results, President Dilma Rousseff (PT), with ...

Devaluation, Step by Step

VENEZUELA · Report · 17 Apr 2014

Executive Summary Fourteen months of slow reforms have shaped the forex regime that will, in our view, be in place until after the 2015 legislative elections. The system is based on three official exchange rates: the 6.30 bolivars per dollar Cadivi/Cencoex rate, Sicad and Sicad II. The government...

Is Erdem Basci on his way out?

TURKEY · In Brief · 15 Apr 2014

I’m extremely reluctant to comment on rumors in the Turkish media, but the frequency of articles suggesting that a major anti-Gulen operation in Capital Markets Board (CMB, Turkey’s SEC), BRSA and CBT has begun and may cause governor Basci his post are too grave to ignore. Besides, Reuters added ...

Presidential Approval Plumbs New Lows

MEXICO · Report · 15 Apr 2014

Executive Summary The most notable result of the latest GEA-ISA quarterly survey of voter opinion regarding governability is the extent to which President Enrique Peña’s approval ratings have fallen. Support of the administration has steadily weakened since mid-2013, but the poll from this past M...

Ukraine to issue $1 billion under US state guarantees

UKRAINE · In Brief · 15 Apr 2014

Yesterday the U.S. and Ukrainian governments signed a loan guarantee agreement for $ 1 billion. Today Ukrainian Minfin announced its intention to issue $1 billion Eurobonds. In fact, it is a very positive signal for the country given all tough conditions Ukraine is facing for the moment. Still we...

South Africa at the Election Gathering

SOUTH AFRICA · Report · 15 Apr 2014

South Africa is now in full electioneering swing. Understandably, emotions are running high, and all the political parties, civil society activists, trade unions, businesses and society at large are on full alert. The 2014 General Elections, scheduled for May 7, are believed to be of particular s...

Continuing Signs of Sluggishness

MEXICO · Report · 15 Apr 2014

Executive Summary During the first months of 2014 a debate emerged over just how long it may take the economy to shake off the slowdown into which it has become increasingly mired since last year. So far the doubt has centered on just how much increased government spending and growth in exports m...

Labor Market: Data from the Continuous PNAD

BRAZIL ECONOMICS · Report · 14 Apr 2014

Brazil no longer has an abundance of labor as it did in the past. But the data from the labor market are partial and need to be improved. To provide a better picture of the job market, the IBGE recently launched the “Continuous PNAD” (PNAD Contínua, with PNAD standing for National Household Surve...

Economy Ticking; Politics, Not So Much

COLOMBIA · Report · 14 Apr 2014

Executive SummaryGDP sped up in 2013, to 4.3% from 4% in 2012. Construction, lifted by a government-supported low-income housing program, expanded 9.8%. Agriculture also did well, up 5.2%. Despite mining’s notorious slowdown, it’s still one of the fastest-growing sectors, up 4.9% last year, mainl...

Political Insights: Week of April 14

BRAZIL POLITICS · Report · 14 Apr 2014

The presidential race begins a new chapter with the launch of the candidacies of Eduardo Campos (PSB) for President and Marina Silva for Vice President. Two presidential polls may be released this week: Vox Populi and another Ibope poll. The battle for the installation of the Petrobras CPI contin...