Are disruptive technologies like Airbnb and Uber creating another new black economy?
Are disruptive technologies like Airbnb and Uber creating another new black economy? It is called the “shared economy”. It has been embraced by millions of consumers globally, and has made multi-millionaires out of the savvy entrepreneurs behind its most high-profile services, like Uber and Airbnb. But for governments around the world, it has proved to be a difficult beat to police. The likes of Uber, the taxi industry disrupter, and Airbnb, the room-sharing service, have at times refused to play…
Has China has become Latin America’s lender of last resort ?
Has China has become Latin America’s lender of last resort ? As soon as Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner landed in Beijing this week she began lauding new deals with what she called the world’s “No. 1 economy,” ranging from two proposed nuclear power plants to joint space exploration. With her country’s economy contracting and its supply of dollars dwindling, Fernandez arrived Monday looking for help from China, which has already lent Argentina $14 billion since…
South America’s Great Economic Divide Getting Deeper ?
South America’s Great Economic Divide Getting Deeper ? There’s a rift in Latin America that is neatly defined by two oceans. According to the International Monetary Fund’s latest economic forecasts, the Atlantic-facing countries of Venezuela, Brazil, and Argentina, the largest members of the Mercosur customs union, will grow at an average rate of 0.6 percent this year; while Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Mexico—which make up the Pacific Alliance—will expand by 4.2 percent. The divide has little to…
Latin America’s billionaires beat all world records
Here it is, in cold numbers. The 87-page report, titled “Wealth-X and UBS Billionaire Census 2014,” says the billionaire population in Latin America and the Caribbean grew by a whopping 38 percent this year, compared with only 18 percent in Asia, 10 percent in the United States and 1 percent in Europe. The report says there are currently 153 billionaires in Latin America and the Caribbean, up from 111 last year. Interestingly, economically bankrupt Venezuela was the country with the biggest billionaire…
Should Latin America set aside outdated ideological prejudices, and insert itself in the global knowledge economy ?
Economists have been predicting for several months that Latin America will have a so-so year in 2015, but new projections from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund suggest that it may be worse than originally expected. That’s bad news, because economic forecasts from the World Bank and the IMF — and even to a greater extent those from the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) — tend to be much more optimistic than those of leading private economists.…
2015 Global food & agriculture investment outlook including South America
2015 Global food & agriculture investment outlook including South America We are glad to share with you the 2015 Global food & agriculture investment outlook, published by Valoral Advisors. As the asset class goes institutional, they look at the new investors that are joining the space and the implications for asset managers.The growing allocations by family offices, pension funds and sovereign funds coincide with an increased M&A appetite by corporate ventures and trading houses. Besides bringing…
Argentines have best level of English in Latin America
Anyone over 50 years can attest to the fact that learning a new language is hard work. All the more if you are an Anglo male. However, the good news is that Argentines women in particular are by far the most articulate English speakers. English is extremely popular in Argentina. It is so popular, in fact, that the country stands heads and shoulders above the region. Argentines are the most proficient in English in Latin America, and it isn’t even close, achieving high proficiency in the language in a region…
5 Reasons You Will Not Succeed Selling Real Estate in any country
Unless you are fully committed to real estate as a profession and have a solid business plan, you will have trouble finding success anywhere. Here I have outlined five situations that can bring down your career — and how to avoid them. Over the past twenty five years, I have had the opportunity to train and work with some of the world’s greatest real estate professionals. This experience has allowed me to witness first-hand not only the success stories but also sight more unfulfilled potential than…
How does the market crash in oil prices affect South American agriculture
How does the market crash in oil prices affect South American agriculture I have been trying to get my head around the medium to long-term effects of lower oil prices on agriculture. Who would have thought only six months ago we would have oil prices sub-USD 57 dollars per barrel. Now it seems this could last one year or more, which means it will affect the total food and distribution chain. Many companies will try and resist a lowering of consumer prices but in a globalized world this will only work for a…
What has happened the the Chinese luxury wine market ?
What has happened the the Chinese luxury wine market ? As China’s anticorruption campaign dampens demand for expensive wines, the red obsession with Bordeaux vineyards is starting to evaporate. Chinese were the biggest buyers of Bordeaux vineyards in 2013 with 25 deals, or 75% of the total number of transactions. They bought over 900 hectares, or 2,223 acres, in total, accounting for 20% of the land that changed hands in Bordeaux last year, according to Vineyard Intelligence, which tracks vineyard purchases.…
KMPG’S Indirect Tax Guide to South America
KMPG’S Indirect Tax Guide to South America has been updated Here is a very informative indirect tax guide to doing Real Estate business in Latin America done by KMPG. Always seek to quantify and qualify if there have been any recent changes. ( believe me, there will have been ) About Gateway to South AmericaGateway to South America is an independent Brokerage and Advisory company committed to helping foreign investors to invest in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. ShareShareTweetWhatsAppEmail
Economic Snapshot of Latin America
(This article was written by Focus Economics and was published on December 9, 2014) Economic Snapshot of Latin America More complete data showed that growth in most Latin American economies bottomed out in the second quarter and that it is picking up slowly in the second half of the year. In the third quarter, the regional GDP estimate (excluding Venezuela which hasn’t yet published GDP figures for 2014) showed that the economy grew 0.7% year-on-year, which came in slightly above the 0.6% expansion observed…
Brazil – Still a new rising Global Power ?
Brazil – Still a new rising Global Power ? Brazil is a regional pole of power in the Western Hemisphere, and a nation of growing stature, visibility, and influence in global affairs. In South America, it has displaced the U.S. as the dominant presence on many issues. Aside from China and India, with their mega-populations and rapid economic growth over many years, and Russia, with its huge reservoir of natural resources and still considerable military prowess, Brazil is the most powerful developing country…
Argentina outspends the rest of Latin America in education
Argentina outspends the rest of Latin America in education Argentina is one of the biggest investors in education throughout Latin America, according to an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development study, which noted that Argentina allocated 6.3 percent of its GDP to education in 2012, compared to the five-percent average for the region and 5.6 percent for the OECD as a whole. The OECD is made up by an estimated 80 countries. President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner praised the study yesterday,…
A new study shows Argentina is a relatively safe country in which to live
WHO figures show Argentina is relatively safe country in world’s most violent region Homicide rates in Latin America are the highest in the world — clocking in at 28.5 per 100,000 inhabitants — but estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO) place Argentina in line with the best in the region with about six homicides per 100,000 inhabitants. According to the WHO, in 2012 165,617 people were murdered in Latin America and the Caribbean, making up about 35 percent of the the 475,000 homicides committed…
