The Economy in Mexico: Foreign Direct Investment

This video from The Economist explains how Mexico is still the largest trader in all Latin American and how the economy is bouncing back from the effects of the U.S. recession. Listen to this economic journalist explain how Mexico is implementing its current economic strategies across the globe.

NAFTA: U.S. Should Work More with Canada and Mexico

When it comes to Mexico foreign direct investment, many opine that NAFTA should be more widely implemented and it would be beneficial to not only Mexico's manufacturing industry, but for the U.S. economy to increase trade relations between the three countries. From an article written by Robert A. Pastor, a professor at American University and author of "The North American Idea: A Vision of a Continental Future," for the SFGate:

North America's share of the world gross product soared from 29 percent in 1994 to 36 percent in 2001. Since then, it has declined to where it was in 1994. Together, the three governments could recover our past success and spread the increasing benefits to those in our countries that have been left behind. It all starts with a North American idea - a healthy respect for our neighbors and a determination to create a formidable regional community.

Italy's Credit Rating Lowered by Standard and Poor-Austerity Measures Labeled 'Insufficient'

Due to its higher-than-expected levels of government debt and weakening economic growth, Standard and Poor has lowered Italy's credit rating a notch - to "A/A-1" from "A+/A-1+." "We believe the reduced pace of Italy's economic activity to date will make the government's revised fiscal targets difficult to achieve," S&P said. The downgrade comes after the European Central Bank demanded this summer that Italy apply stiff austerity measures to calm investors facing doubts about how capable Italy is about handling its outrageous debt. Italy is the eurozone's No. 3 economy and has a deficit to gross domestic product ratio of 120 percent, one of Europe's highest. From NPR.org:

The bank has spent billions over the last month buying up Italian government bonds in a bid to lower Italy's borrowing costs and keep it from becoming the next eurozone nation to need an international bailout. The S&P downgrade, however, could lead to higher borrowing costs for Italy because it implies that investors face greater risks when buying Italian debt.

Invest in Mexico News: NET1 To Set Up Shop In Mexico

Net1 UEPS has signed a deal with a Citigroup subsidiary in order to provide mobile virtual card technology in Mexico, and through this partnership, will be expanding its presence in South America.
Yesterday, it announced it had inked a deal with Banamex, a Mexico-based bank, to provide mobile virtual card technologies. The contract was signed through its wholly-owned subsidiary in Austria, Net1 Universal Technologies. This move will allow its coveted target market to enter affordably into electronic transactions with each other: government agencies, banks, employers, merchants and other financial service providers in Mexico will benefit. As CEO and Chairman Serge Belamant states, the deal "will open up money remittance and bill payment opportunities between the US and Mexico."
The company, listed on the Nasdaq exchange and the JSE, already operates all over the world, including countries in Africa as well as Iraq, Ukraine, Colombia, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Russia, Oman, India, Moldova, Mongolia, the US and the Republic of South Korea.

Mexico Investment Summit 2012

If you're interested in learning more about investing in Mexico, you can't miss The Mexico Investment Summit this January 2012 in Mexico City. The three day conference will be focusing on these areas of growth in the Mexican economy:

Pension investment
Private equity & venture captial
Healthcare
Technology
Infrastructure
Tourism
Real estate
Agriculture
Oil, gas & mining

Mexico is a regional leader and business influencer in Latin America and there's already great insight into why investing in Mexico is such a great opportunity:

"The Mexico Investment Summit focuses on a country that many consider to be the world's best combination of logistically based geography and phenomenal natural resources, a discussion important not only for its positive internal impacts, but for it's strategic effects on North American and world competitiveness."

Jeffrey M. Jones, Venture Partner, Alta Growth Capital, President, JMax Asociados SC

Find out more for yourself on the official Mexico Investment Summit 2012 website.