Ricardo Salinas, Mexican billionaire and owner of Banco Azteca, looks to expand microlending services to ‘the bottom of the pyramid’ in the U.S.

Ricardo Salinas, the Mexican billionaire whose banking and retail empire spans eight countries, is looking to expand his microlending business by offering the loans to lower income populations in the U.S. Ricardo Salinas said in an interview at Bloomberg’s headquarters in New York, that Grupo Elektra SA seeks clients at the “bottom of the pyramid” in terms of income and assets; U.S. households with less than $25,000 in annual income fit that profile. “[It] would be my dream to set up a series of 10,000 branches over the U.S. that addressed the bottom of the pyramid,” he said, adding, “It’s complicated because of the environment, but we’re looking at it.”

How Gold Performed in 2011

Via Investopedia.com:

For centuries, gold has been a coveted precious metal that has been at the center of the commodities market. Today, the precious metal is sought after for both use in jewelry and for investment purposes, as well its industrial applications in certain electronic and medical devices. Check out this article on why people are turning back to investing in gold and how this investment can fit in to your personal investment portfolio.

Tips for First Time Art Investors

In the current economy, making an investment in fine art is a very good idea- if you know how. As this article states, 'buying an unknown artist's work for under $100 and realizing a fortune after the artist is recognized is an exciting fantasy. The realities, though, may be quite different.' Buying art solely as an investment is riskier, in many cases, than the stock market. Most art decreases in value. Over 95 % of the first one-person shows in New York (or any major city) in any given season are from artists never heard from again. With those cautions in mind, here are some ways to enter the art market: Buy art only because you "experience" the work, have a strong reaction to it, and want to live with it. That way, if it goes up in value, you have everything to gain. If the value doesn't increase, you have the pleasure of living with it. Also, as some seasoned art dealers would advise, “our philosophy is buy what you love, but know what you’re buying,” says Russell Singler, owner of Art You Grew Up With. Although it is an excellent option for investment diversification, Ruth Knowles of The Fine Art Fund says they typically tell investors not to put more than 5 per cent of their net worth into art, as it is a long-term investment, which can be relatively illiquid – depending upon how you invest in the market. She also points out that it’s a very large and diverse market: “The top 10 per cent of the contemporary market will behave very differently to the bottom 25 per cent of the contemporary market.” Photograph of "Pensándolo II" by Mexican artist Juan Sebastián Barberá Durón.

24 Quick Actions that Can Change Your Financial Life Forever

Did you know that when it comes to time, even a little can go a long way? Here are some great ideas that will let you get a head start on organizing, planning and budgeting for 2012. Just a taste of a few of the items on the list that will really make a difference in your financial life this year (and are good habits to hold to!). Action #1: Pull Your Credit Report (10-20 minutes) Action #2: Employ the “Clean Slate” approach to your clutter (20 – 90 minutes) Action #8: Use Cash Envelopes for Food, Clothing, “Blow Money” (20 minutes) Click here to see the rest of the really useful tips. You may even find yourself with a little extra money that will allow you to keep investing in Mexico.

World Experts Comment on the Expectations of Mexico as the Host of the Next G-20 Summit in 2012

As host of the 2012 G-20 Summit, Mexico is positioned as a new emerging power in the world. Experts from around the world have commented on what Mexico can bring to the table at this summit, the first time it is being held by a Latin American country. Watch the video above to find out the expectations of Mexico as the summit leader.

Melia opens two new Paradisus resorts in Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Meliá Hotels International’s luxurious, all-inclusive Paradisus resort brand will expand its portfolio with two new Mexican property openings in the near future. Meliá Hotels is located in the prestigious Playa del Carmen enclave on Mexico’s eastern Caribbean shore. The magnificent Paradisus La Esmeralda and Paradisus La Perla are poised to become the area’s finest all-inclusive properties...go to MexicoToday.org to read more.

Have you heard of the TIMBIs?: What the "new BRIC countries" have in store

Nov. 30 marked the 10th anniversary of Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill's anointing of the BRIC economies -- Brazil, Russia, India, and China -- as the future leaders of the global economy. Yet 10 years on, the notion of the BRICs already seems out of date. In China and Russia, demographic patterns have shifted. Their working-age populations are declining, as are exports, while still-rigid political systems stifle free thought and hamper technical advance. See what benefits doing business in Mexico has and why Mexico has been declared one of the next big global economies by leading international experts.

Mexican Produce Heading U.S. Greens Imports

In February, 2011, Texas became the leading importer of Mexican produce, surpassing Nogales, Arizona. With the construction of a new highway in Mexico underway, the Rio Grande Valley should continue to see growth in Mexican produce outputs. According to John McClung, President of the Texas Produce Association, their goal is not to detract from Arizona’s imports, but rather to increase the total volume of produce shipped over the U.S. border.

Read more on MexicoToday.org.

Yamana Gold Inc. Opens Mercedes Production Mine in Sonora

Yamana Gold Inc., a Canadian-based gold mining company, has just announced that they’ve started production at their Mercedes mine in Northern Sonora, Mexico, located southeast of the city of Magdalena de Kino. Yamana Gold Inc. now has land production facilities in Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia. This new mine will enable the company to increases its gold mining, extraction, production, and consumer distribution activities.

Go to MexicoToday.org to continue reading.

Green Bay Packers Stock Goes on Sale Today

Even though it's been a brutal year for the stock market, today, traders have a unique opportunity to adquire stock from the Green Bay packers. It's only the 5th time in it's history that the Green Bay Packers will be selling its shares, for 250 dollars each; the undefeated team will put 250,000 shares up for sale.

The team is selling the stock as a means of fundraising to renovate their stadium -- this is only the fifth fundraising appeal of the Green Bay Packers in the team's 92-year history as the country's only publicly owned professional sports franchise.

Kevin Quinn, an economist at St. Norbert College, thinks less than 100,000 shares will be bought, but some prospective buyers say online discussions are predicting the entire allotment will go quickly.

Would you buy the Green Bay Packers stock? Why or Why not?

Nissan to Expand Production in Mexico

Nissan Mexicana is making the adaptations required to expand vehicles production capacity in their Aguascalientes plant. According to some suppliers, the assembler is planning to open an additional production line with capacity for 150,000 vehicles per year, which in two shifts could assemble up to 300,000 units in addition to those currently being manufactured in the plant.

Nissan Mexicana is also negotiating with the local government and business chambers to increase the speed of the cargo train for a faster transportation of components. “Investment is required to make it faster, because through that route we move many materials”, Armando Avila, Manufacturing Vice-president with Nissan Mexicana, explained.

Mexico's Aerospace Industry Establishes Closer Ties to France

Governor Cesar Duarte Jaquez departed to France together with the Minister of the Economy, the Minister of Public Works and some businessmen to foster aerospace industry. This was informed by Alberto Chretin, State Minister of the Economy, who informed that the group will hold meetings in France with Zodiac and Safran, companies in the aerospace field already installed in Chihuahua, as well as other companies in the area. In their trip they will also receive the competitiveness study from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which will provide Chihuahua with a showcase of the opportunities found here told by experts.

ASUR Announces 8.3% Increase in Passenger Traffic in 2011

Via Sacramentobee.com: Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE: ASR; BMV: ASUR) (ASUR), today announced that total passenger traffic for November 2011 increased by 8.3% when compared to November 2010. All figures in this announcement reflect comparisons between November 1 through November 30, 2010 and 2011. Transit and general aviation passengers are excluded. Read more and get the full data here.

"The opportunity is huge in Mexico" says MetLife's chairman of the board, C. Robert Henrikson

Via MexicoToday.com:

MetLife, the world's largest life insurer, is convinced of the benefits of doing business in Mexico. It's strong economy, based on a banking system that works, is host to a large and ever-growing middle class, says C. Robert Henrikson, the Chairman of the Board for MetLife. In this video, he confirms that thanks to the present day Mexican economy, "the opportunity is huge."