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

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

Colombian economy

Power Rationing Unlikely as Consumers Save, Rains Return, Guatape Mends

Medellin Herald April 5, 2016

Colombia’s Consejo Nacional de Operacion (CNO) – the national advisory body on electric power supply – on April 4 announced that voluntary power reductions by consumers and industry apparently have diminished the threat of power rationing. Following an analysis of encouraging data provided by Medellin-based XM – operator of the national power grid – as […]

Colombian economy

Medellin-Based Bancolombia Net Income Soars Despite Colombian Economy Dip

Medellin Herald March 15, 2016

Bancolombia – already Colombia’s biggest bank and now operating in 10 countries in Latin America – on March 9 reported a 21% year-on-year (y-o-y) jump in fourth quarter (4Q) 2015 net income, to COP656 billion (US$207.9 million). Full-year 2015 net income rose 5.5% y-o-y, to 2.5 trillion (US$792 million), according to the company. The bank’s […]

Colombian economy

Colombian Industry Growing Despite Oil-Price Crash

Medellin Herald February 18, 2016

The latest annual “joint industrial opinion survey” (JIOS) organized by Medellin-based Andi (Colombia’s national industrial trade association) shows that Colombia’s industrial sector continued to grow in 2015 despite the global oil-price crash that has crippled its oil-dependent neighbors. The JIOS for full-year 2015 “reflects a slight increase in both production and

Colombian economy

Colombia Successfully Confronts ‘El Niño’ Thanks to Power Diversification

Medellin Herald February 3, 2016

Medellin-based XM — Colombia’s free-market electric-power trading organization – announced February 2 that despite the “El Niño” drought phenomenon that has cut hydropower capacity, thermoelectric generators have more-than taken-up the slack. As a result, Colombia isn’t experiencing the power blackouts suffered during the 1992 drought – which is great news for

Colombian economy

Antioquia’s Flower Producers Gear-up for Valentine’s Day Exports

Medellin Herald January 29, 2016

Some 500 million Colombian flowers are expected to be exported in the run-up to February 14 (Valentine’s Day) – most of which will go to the United States, according to Asocolflores, the Colombia trade association of flower producers. Antioquia is second only to Bogota in cut-flower production and export, with Valentine’s Day accounting for about […]

Colombian economy

Colombia’s GDP Slows, but Antioquia New-Businesses Growth Comparatively Robust

Medellin Herald January 22, 2016

A new report from Colombia’s national federation of local Chambers of Commerce (Confecamaras) shows that while the growth of Colombia’s gross domestic product (“PIB” in Spanish initials) slipped in 2015 versus 2014, Antioquia continued to support a relatively robust growth of new businesses. The total number of start-up businesses registered with Colombia’s various local

Colombian economy

Colombian Industry Resilient as Oil Prices Plummet; World Bank Hails Policies

Medellin Herald January 19, 2016

Unlike its floundering, oil-dependent neighbors in “socialist” Venezuela and Ecuador, Colombia’s capitalist economy and industrial output are showing resilience, as indicated by the latest Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) statistical survey. The monthly survey released January 18 shows that factory output in Colombia rose 4.8%