Chile: maybe next time

There has been an obvious loss of momentum in our economic growth, relative to our own past two decades and the rest of the emerging world. In figures, whereas in the 90’s and 2000’s Chile had an average annual growth rate of 6,37% and 4,34% respectively, the emerging...

Battling energy cartels

According to 2007 BP Statistical Review, 2006 world energy consumption amounted to 10.878 million tons oil equivalent – mtoe -, of which 36% corresponded to oil, 24% to natural gas, 28% to coal , 6% to nuclear energy and 6% to hydroelectricity, excluding solar, wind...

Campos de Hielo

Estimado Señor Director, A raíz del acuerdo entre Chile y Argentina de 1998 para precisar el recorrido del límite desde el monte Fitz Roy hasta el cerro Daudet, una distancia aproximada de 160 kms, ¿ pierde territorio nuestro país respecto del hasta ahora válido...

The king is naked, but healthy

Some useful lessons are going to be acknowledged after the present financial volatility period settles, particularly in the US. The most important one will be the divergence between the real economy and the perceived one, the dissociation between short and long term...

No más concentración empresarial: prudencia obliga

Recientemente se solicitó al Tribunal de la Libre Competencia la aprobación de la fusión accionaria entre Falabella y DyS, que daría origen a una entidad financiera y de retail con una valorización bursátil de US$ 16.000 millones, ventas por US$ 7.500 millones (80 por...

US roads: the hidden cost due to increased gas taxes

The continuing scarcity of cheap energy in the world, due mainly to an unexpected strong economic growth now going for almost 10 years, has not only ignited the search for new and more reliable sources, but also put again into the fore increasing gasoline taxes,...

Chile, in search of lost growth

Looking at China and India growing at 10 per cent in annual rates in their quest for a developed status is certainly goods news, for their combined 2.500 million inhabitants and the rest of the world. Their per capita incomes, less than US$ 2.000, compared to US...

Iran – Russia energy axis?

The world will soon complete almost a decade with unprecedented growth relatively well distributed across it. But this process has been associated with an impressive wealth transfer from energy lacking areas to those that have a surplus. It so happens that an energy...

A dollar economy from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego

Increasing world economic integration is a fact, as measured in goods trade and physical and human capital movements. But it tends to be deeper in surrounding countries – as it would equivalently happen at cities or neighborhoods levels -, basically because of...

US monetary policy

For the last 12 months there has been an increasing pressure over the Federal Reserve to move into a more contractionary monetary policy than before. The basis for such a case has been the apparently low absolute values of the Fed Funds target rates being in place and...

Chile: wrong way

Last Wednesday night we could watch, for the last time, a restrictive debate between the two remaining candidates for next January 15th presidential election in Chile. It was, in fact, the debate between a president – Mr. Piñera – and a candidate – Mrs. Bachelet...

Corruption in Chile ? Of course, but of a different kind

Every time a new survey over corruption and transparency goes published, Chile is usually well placed, especially with respect to our Latin American neighbors. And every time this event happens, those that rejoice on the significance of it should be reminded about the...

Refco case: too soon to decide, too hurry to liquidate

Almost two weeks ago, a going concern; right now, a company under bankruptcy protection. It does not make sense, if looked at from the outside, when this whole process is being triggered from a presumably undisclosed debt owed to the company by its CEO. As a financial...

Population growth: either subsidies or decadence

It is alarming that world leaders are not considering the consequences of present growth  patterns of our population, and policies that could correct them. If the 20th century witnessed a massive increase in its numbers, quadrupling them from 1,5 billion people in...