LA Times (March 2)
The U.S. is “sending guns, crime to Mexico.” The country “has some of the strictest gun laws in the world,” but these don’t thwart the cartels. “To stock their arsenals, Mexican criminal organizations exploit lax U.S. gun laws, relying in part on straw purchases.” Each year, on average, over 250,000 firearms cross the border into Mexico from the U.S.
Washington Post (September 27)
“The global marketplace may tell the larger story” about the presidential debate. “As the evening concluded, thanks to Clinton’s obvious dominance, as well as her assertion that a Clinton presidency would honor U.S. commitments abroad, the Asian markets recovered, the Mexico peso rallied, and Dow futures added 100 points.”
Tags: Asian markets, Clinton, Dominance, Dow futures, Global markets, Honor, Mexico, Peso, Presidential debate, Rally, U.S. commitments
The Economist (May 1)
Since 2010, foreign creditors “have extended the equivalent of more than $5 billion of 100-year bonds to Mexico in three currencies: dollars, sterling and now euros.” Moreover, Mexico has received exceedingly good terms (4.2%-6.1%) given its “distinctly spotty credit record.” This speaks volumes about the intensity of the global search for yield, but raises the inevitable question “what are the chances of investors, or their grandchildren, getting their money back?”
Institutional Investor (April 27)
“For decades Washington politicians have evoked the dream of a North American energy alliance that would deliver Mexico’s abundant hydrocarbons to factories and motor vehicles in the U.S.” Today’s reality “is confounding expectations. It’s the booming U.S. energy sector that is powering Mexican factories and cars.”
Tags: Cars, Energy alliance, Factories, Hydrocarbons, Mexico, North America, Politicians, U.S., Washington
New York Times (December 6)
“Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey — the so-called MINT economies — along with the more developed South Korea,” could surpass Italy, the world’s eighth largest economy, to each contribute 3-5% of global GDP. The MINTs may even give some of the BRICs a run for their money. Jim O’Neil, who coined the term BRIC to refer to Brazil, Russia, India and China, thought each had potential to produce 5% of global GDP. China’s already there and India will be soon, but it’s becoming apparent that Brazil and Russia will struggle without reforms. While the MINTs “have many challenges, they all have exciting potential, and could become mini-giants, if not quite on the scale of some of their well-known BRIC colleagues.”
Tags: Brazil, BRIC, BRICS, China, GDP, India, Indonesia, Italy, Jim O’Neil, Mexico, MINT, Nigeria, Reforms, Russia, South Korea, Turkey
Euromoney (August Issue)
“Mexico’s strategy of diversifying its investor base is succeeding… following the sovereign’s multi-tranche samurai transaction which was priced on July 15 and included a 20-year tenor,” the first of any Latin American country. The highly oversubscribed placement also marked “the first emerging market sovereign to place a 20-year bond in Japan’s domestic market since 2008.”
Tags: 20-year tenor, Diversification, Emerging market, Investor base, Japan, Latin America, Mexico, Oversubscribed, Placement, Samurai bonds, Sovereign, Strategy
Euromoney (February Issue)
In Mexico, “cheaper electricity will lower manufacturing costs across the board, and the country could become a competitor in energy-intensive industries such as aluminum and steel production.” President Enrique Peña Nieto introduced sweeping reforms to liberalize the electricity and oil and gas sectors, prompting analysts to add “an extra 1.5% to future GDP growth rates as a direct consequence of the scope of these reforms and many say the risks are on the upside. Suppliers, contractors and a whole host of other industries will benefit.”
Tags: Aluminum, Analysts, Competitor, Contractors, Costs, Electricity, Enrique Peña Nieto, Gas, GDP, Manufacturing, Mexico, Oil, Reforms, Risks, Steel, Suppliers, Upside
The Economist (November 24)
Mexico is experiencing a boom as it benefits from economic trends. “Wages in Chinese factories have quintupled in the past ten years and the oil price has trebled, inducing manufacturers focused on the American market to set up closer to home. Mexico is already the world’s biggest exporter of flat-screen televisions, BlackBerrys and fridge-freezers, and is climbing up the rankings in cars, aerospace and more.” By 2018, America is expected to import more from Mexico than from any other country. “Made in China” is giving way to “Hecho en México”.
Bloomberg (March 6, 2012)
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Carlos Slim of Mexico is now the richest person on Earth, surpassing previous frontrunner Bill Gates. Warren Buffet rounded out the top three. “The combined net worth of the 20 richest people is $676.8 billion. Nine are Americans.” At number 11, Mukesh Ambani was Asia’s richest. Hong Kong’s Li Ka-shing and India’s Lakshmi Mittal also made the top 20.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Carlos Slim of Mexico is now the richest person on Earth, surpassing previous frontrunner Bill Gates. Warren Buffet rounded out the top three. “The combined net worth of the 20 richest people is $676.8 billion. Nine are Americans.” At number 11, Mukesh Ambani was Asia’s richest. Hong Kong’s Li Ka-shing and India’s Lakshmi Mittal also made the top 20.
Tags: Asia, Bill Gates, Billionaires, Carlos Slim, India, Lakshmi Mittal, Li Ka-shing, Mexico, Mukesh Ambani, U.S., Warren Buffet
Wall Street Journal (February 22, 2012)
“China could face an economic crisis unless it implements deep reforms, including scaling back its vast state-owned enterprises and making them operate more like commercial firms.” A soon-to-be released report, titled “China 2030,” also warns that “China’s growth is in danger of decelerating rapidly and without much warning.” The report indicates that China, like Brazil and Mexico, will face a “middle-income trap,” which tends to snare developing countries that reach a threshold income level.
“China could face an economic crisis unless it implements deep reforms, including scaling back its vast state-owned enterprises and making them operate more like commercial firms.” A soon-to-be released report, titled “China 2030,” also warns that “China’s growth is in danger of decelerating rapidly and without much warning.” The report indicates that China, like Brazil and Mexico, will face a “middle-income trap,” which tends to snare developing countries that reach a threshold income level.
