Colombian economy

Colombia’s Industrial Manufacturing Rebounded Sharply in 2016: DANE

Medellin Herald February 14, 2017

Colombia’s national economic statistical agency — Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística, DANE — reported February 14 that its latest monthly manufacturers’ survey (Encuesta Mensual Manufacturera, EMM) shows a strong industrial rebound for full-year 2016. According to

Colombian economy

IMF, World Bank Foresee 2.6%/2.5% GDP Growth for Colombia in 2017

Medellin Herald January 23, 2017

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank this month issued nearly identical 2.6% and 2.5% growth projections for Colombia gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017. According to the IMF forecast – divulged in a new report on Latin American economies – Colombia’s 2.6% growth rate projection for 2017 is more than three-times the 0.8% growth […]

Colombian economy

Colombian-American Chamber of Commerce Hails New Import-Export Tools, Rules

Medellin Herald October 20, 2016

The Colombian-American Chamber of Commerce (Cámara de Comercio Colombo Americana) on October 20 hailed recent advances in the “Plan Vallejo” regulatory and reporting scheme that covers imports and exports into-and-out-of Colombia. According to the group (which also calls itself “AmCham Colombia”), the Vallejo Plan now features more-efficient electronic

Colombian economy

Colombia Manufacturing Rebound Strengthens; Up 9.4% Year-on-Year

Medellin Herald October 19, 2016

Colombia’s monthly manufacturing index (“EMM” in Spanish initials) rose 9.4% year-on-year in August 2016 — the latest month for which statistics are available — according to an October 19 report from the national statistics department (Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística-DANE). The recent restart of Ecopetrol’s newly rebuilt “Reficar” refinery

Colombian economy

Colombia’s Free-Trade Zones See 85% Jump in Exports

Medellin Herald August 23, 2016

Colombia’s national statistics agency (Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística, DANE) announced August 22 that exports from various free-trade zones (“zonas francas”) soared 85.7% year-on-year in June 2016, boosted by favorable peso-to-dollar exchange rates. According to DANE, the June 2016 export jump is the largest recorded since 2011 (see chart,

Colombian economy

Truckers, Colombia Government Settle National Strike

Medellin Herald July 22, 2016

Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos and Transport Minister Jorge Eduardo Rojas Giraldo announced July 22 that a 45-days-long national truckers’ strike – aggravated by acts of violence and vandalism against non-strikers — has finally been settled, much to the relief of freight shippers and receivers. According to the settlement agreement, the

Colombian economy

Foreign Direct Investment in Colombia up 64% in Sectors Other Than Petroleum, Mining

Medellin Herald July 5, 2016

The latest report from Banco de la Republica — Colombia’s national currency and banking regulator — shows that foreign direct investment (FDI) in Colombian business sectors other than petroleum and mining has jumped 64% this year, to US$2 billion. However, the global crash in oil and industrial metals prices has resulted in a 47% drop in FDI […]

Colombian economy

Antioquia’s Flower Exporters Harvesting Bigger Profits: Study

Medellin Herald July 1, 2016

A new study by Colombia’s Superintendencia de Sociedades (corporations oversight agency) finds that national flower exporters realized a big jump in profits in 2015 versus 2014. Colombia’s biggest industrial flower producers are mainly located in Antioquia (eastern suburbs of Medellin) and Cundinamarca (outer suburbs of Bogota). In total, 194 industrial flower producers

Colombian economy

Foreign Direct Investment Grows in ‘Other’ Sectors as Petroleum, Mining Decline: Banco de la Republica

Medellin Herald April 19, 2016

The latest quarterly report from Colombia’s currency regulator (Banco de la Republica) shows that foreign direct investment (FDI) in petroleum and mining in Colombia during first quarter (1Q) 2016 dropped sharply year-on-year (y-o-y), to US$1.2 billion, from US$3 billion in 1Q 2015. However, FDI in “other” sectors (outside of petroleum and mining) rose sharply y-o-y, to

Colombian economy

Colombia High-Tech Services Ranking Jumps for Foreign Investors: ProColombia

Medellin Herald April 13, 2016

ProColombia – the national government agency promoting foreign trade – announced April 12 that Colombia rose to fifth place in the latest ranking of all 55 nations in the Americas in information technology (IT), software and business process outsourcing (BPO). Citing the latest AT Kearney Global Services Location Index report, “Colombia was the country that