Mexico Among the World’s Top 50 Destinations for “Doing Business” According to The World Bank

Mexico is ranked among the world’s top fifty economies for ease of doing business, and shows improvement for the fourth consecutive year, according to a report just released by The World Bank’s “Doing Business 2013: Smarter Regulations for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises” report. 

The World Bank’s “Doing Business” report joins other internationally well-recognized sources, such as the World Economic Forum and the IMD, that demonstrate how Mexico is advancing in global competitiveness. As MexicoToday reported in recent months:

• Mexico has improved 13 positions in the past two years, as reported by The World Economic Forum (watch video here)
• Mexico has improved 10 positions in the past two years, as reported by the IMD  
• Mexico has improved six positions in the past two years, as reported by The World Bank’s Doing Business report 

The “Doing Business” report assesses regulations affecting domestic firms in 185 economies, including Mexico, and ranks the economies measured by ten areas of business regulation, including: starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts, and resolving insolvency.

Continue reading more on "Doing Business" in Mexico at MexicoToday.org!

A Business Traveler Makes Time for Fresh Food and Tourism in Mexico City

MexicoToday spoke with a businessman visiting Mexico City. He talked about enjoying the food in Mexico, especially the 'marisco' or shellfish. He raved about the experience, and especially enjoyed the culture of Mexico City. For more videos on personal experiences of travelers in Mexico, go to MexicoToday.org/tourism. 

Gorbachev Optimistic at Juarez Competitiva

Mikhail Gorbachev gave an inspiring speech before a replete auditorium at the Paso del Norte Cultural Center in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. In the context of Juarez Competitiva, a two week long event aimed at promoting the international business sector of Ciudad Juarez, Mikhail Gorbachev offered words of encouragement that meant to inspire and motivate an audience of 2,000 ⎯ one that included a large number of young attendees. Click here to see more on the MexicoToday website.

Mexico's Chemical Industry to Invest over US $10bn from 2012-2016

In an interview with a local Mexican newspaper El Semanario, Miguel Benedetto, general director of ANIQ, the National Chemical Industry Association, said an average of US$2bn would be invested each year from 2012 to 2016.

Double the figure seen in 2011, the director of ANIQ added, "The industry has been investing around US$900mn annually, but with the announcement of projects like Brazilian firm Braskem's [NYSE: BAK] Ethylene XXI and Mexico's IDESA, and the joint venture between Mexichem [BMV: MEXCHEM] and [state oil company] Pemex for the production of vinyl chloride at the Pajaritos complex in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, this figure will more than double."

Bernanke Boosts Investor Confidence in Emerging Markets

Grupo Financiero Banorte SAB de CV (GFNORTEO)'s interactive chart as of 08/26/2011

The benchmark index has risen for the first time in five weeks, as emerging-market stocks rose on Friday. At the annual Fed symposium last Friday, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben. S. Bernanke eased investors concerned about the state of the economy, relaying that U.S. growth is sound in the long run, and that the Fed still has tools to aid the recovery if needed. This also affected the way investors will go about investing in emerging economies, such as Mexico.

The MSCI Emerging Markets Index gained 0.3 percent to 975.92 at 5:41 p.m. in New York, after dropping as much as 0.5 percent in the first five minutes following Bernanke’s speech today at an annual Fed symposium. Brazil’s Bovespa Index rose 0.8 percent while Mexico’s benchmark advanced 0.4 percent. Turkey’s ISE National 100 Index (XU100) climbed 1.4 percent after the trade deficit narrowed from a month earlier and Russia’s Micex Index added 1.1 percent.

Mexican Homebuilders Bonds' Yields Up 4x

President Calderon's plan to reduce housing shortages, which in turn makes them less vulnerable to swings in the economy, is working. Mexican homebuilders' bond yields are rising as much as four times faster than that of corporate peers. So much so that banks like Citigroup Inc. and Scotia Capital are recommending buying the debt "as a bet subsidies [that] will help the companies weather slowing growth." For instance, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.com, Mexico’s third-biggest homebuilder, Urbi Desarrollos Urbanos SAB's yield on dollar bonds due in 2020 jumped 87 basis points this month to 8.29 percent. Emerging-market corporate bond yields climbed 10 basis points.

Auto Production Up 16% in July to Reach Record 209,534 Units

The Mexican Auto Industry Association, said that this July vehicle production grew 16% and exports grew another 24% to 177,843 units. That was also a record for a month of July, said Mexican Auto Industry Association President, Eduardo Solis. Domestic auto sales, which have been rising at a slower rate than exports, rose by 11% in July to 68,533 vehicles. The auto industry is Mexico's largest single manufacturing sector, and production is frequently an early sign of strength in overall manufacturing.

President Calderon Meets with Castro

Mayor Julián Castro of San Antonio, Texas and Mexican leader, President Calderón, discussed business investment and immigration, yesterday in Mexico City. Via San Antonio News, here is an account of what went on in the meeting that lasted nearly an hour on Monday evening: "Mexican President Felipe Calderón expressed his appreciation to Mayor Julián Castro for San Antonio’s pro-Mexico relationship, especially in business investments [...]. In the meeting at Los Pinos, the Mexican president’s official residence here, Castro declared support for comprehensive immigration reform and listed business investments San Antonio companies have made in Mexico." Continue reading here.

Mexico City Reduces Green House Gas Emissions by the Millions

Mexico City is making improvements in leaps and bounds, with its Green Plan, implemented in 2008, aiming to make Mexico City a sustainable city in the next 15 years. Not only has the plan already reduced GHG by 5.7 million metric tons, but is the basis for making investments in transportation, energy and water conservation, solid waste management, and air quality, among other initiatives.

"Over the past four years, we have made significant progress toward becoming one of the world's most sustainable cities by promoting environmental stewardship not only in our government operations but also by encouraging widespread business and citizen participation," said Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico City's current mayor.

America Movil Posts Impressive 2Q Earnings

The largest telecom carrier in Latin America and also a Mexican company, America Movil, has reported second quarter earnings per ADR of $1.04, much higher than most analysts predicted. Total costs and expenses in the reported quarter were up 12.0% year over year at around MXN$97.7 billion ($8.3 billion).

According to analysis, America Movil continues to dominate the Mexican wireless market by expanding data and Pay TV services. Click here for a more in depth analysis of the increases in America Movil's 2Q earnings.

What Makes Emerging Markets Great Investments?

What Makes Emerging Markets Great Investments? - Kenneth Rapoza - BRIC Breaker - Forbes

Here is a great article if you want to read about how to invest money wisely and what markets are ranking high in offshore investing.

“Ranking the BRICs from my favorite to least favorite we’d go with Russia, Brazil, China, India,” says Vlad Signorelli, Global Research Director at boutique investment research firm Brettonwoods Research LLC in New Jersey. Read more here and, as the article suggests, 'See what emerging capital markets will outperform their counterparts in developed countries.'

Mexico: Inside A Top-of-the-Line Saddle Business

Talabarteria Rancho Grande is located in Sonora, Mexico. It's a world-class saddle maker, and is the preferred saddle for expert riders, as well as anyone who has a great appreciation for horse-back riding or an equestrian flair.

The business stands out from the rest because it has essentially turned saddle-making into an art. The store, started by Luis Molina in 1949 and now run by his son David, specializes in high-end, elaborate saddles that last up to 30 or 40 years.

Click here to read more about this inspiring Mexican business.

What is Mexico Today?

Mexico Today is part of an initiative on behalf of Marca País-Imagen de México that aims to provide the latest news on investment in Mexico, travel and tourism to Mexico, Mexican cultural news, Mexico's environmental solutions, Mexico's international relations and much more. Visit the site today for all the latest news and current events in Mexico!

Mexico Economic Activity Climbs

Due to the jump in tourism during this year (to over 22 million foreign travelers), the Mexican services sector rose, helping Mexico's economic growth beat analysts' expectations in April.

The services sector expanded by 0.39 percent in April while the other two sectors of the economy declined in month-ago terms. The industrial sector contracted 0.14 percent, its third-straight decline, while the agriculture sector was off 2.04 percent.

Although the year-over-year number was lower than expected, Mexico's economic activity is up in April by 0.35% from the previous month where analysts had predicted a rise of 0.20 percent.

Economists expect the economy could expand by roughly 4.5 percent this year after posting a 5.5 percent growth rate in 2010 -- the strongest in a decade.

Source: www.reuters.com

Carstens Receives Last Minute Support from Canada and Australia

The breaking news today is that Canada and Australia will endorse Mexico's central bank chief Agustín Carstens as the race for the spot as IMF chief comes to an end this week. Canadian officials made this announcement on Friday - a decision that is, unfortunately, deemed by the WSJ as, 'unlikely to tilt a race led by French finance minister Christine Lagarde'.

Europe has backed Ms. Lagarde from the beginning, and there is no indication Washington will withhold support for her to succeed former chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

Source: www.wsj.com

Mexico's Prices Fall, Led by Food

Mexico’s consumer prices unexpectedly declined in the first half of June, significantly brought down by food and beverage costs in Latin America’s second-biggest economy. Even though economists had forecasted a 0.11% rise, prices fell 0.05% in the first two weeks of June, with food and beverage prices falling 0.40 percent.

The central bank reported these numbers today, and HSBC Holdings Plc economist, Sergio Martin, added that controlled prices are allowing the central bank to keep borrowing costs at a record low: “There are no inflationary pressures that could make the central bank raise rates,” Martin said in an over the phone interview from Mexico City. The report “was much more positive than what you could have expected.”

According to Martin, Mexico’s exchange rate is 'keeping a lid' on prices. The peso is up 10% since the end of 2009, the biggest advance among Latin American currencies after the Colombian peso.

Click here to read more on how Mexico's exchange rates are assisting it's economic boom.

"Mexico's Bullet-Proof Economy"

Today the Financial Times has published an article on their economic blog, "beyondbrics", that talks about how Mexico's economy is doing very well, surpassing all predictions, despite the unrest at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Mexico, more and more, is proving to be extremely stable in macroeconomic terms and in its relations with other countries, providing a sound platform for business activity.

The article mentions that this actually isn't an uncommon scenario. If you take Columbia for instance, the economy grew remarkably between 1980 and 2010, when the country was at a zenith in it's fight against crime. Mexico's economy is rapidly growing, proving a stable place for investment. What has your experience in investing in Mexico been in the recent years or months?

All comments are welcome.