Category: Business

Copa Airlines has resumed flights between Panama and Caracas, restoring direct air connectivity with Venezuela, the travel site en.travel2latam.com reported on March 18, 2026.

U.S. farmers are bracing for potential disruptions to fertilizer prices and availability as the war involving Iran raises concerns ahead of the spring planting season.

U.S. stocks fell Wednesday after a report said inflation was set to worsen even before oil prices surged on the war with Iran; gold slipped below $5,000 per ounce.

Jet fuel prices and airfares are rising while U.S. airlines report steady bookings. Analysts warn higher fares are likely — the question is when, for how long and by how much.

A Panama-Germany Economic Meeting emphasized stronger trade alliances centered on investment, logistics and advanced manufacturing, noting German involvement in sectors like pharmaceuticals.

Panama’s Budget Commission approved a $1.2M transfer enabling the Maritime Authority to hire specialized legal counsel to review and update port concession contracts amid transparency concerns.

Panama joined Bahrain, Japan, Singapore and the UAE in a joint proposal to create a safe corridor to free about 20,000 seafarers stranded in the Gulf region, seeking a coordinated, humanitarian solution to disrupted crew changes.

EIN Presswire reports Panama missed a deadline to operate major Panama Canal ports, deepening a dispute over control of the facilities and raising questions about trade and governance.

Law360 reports that Panama missed a deadline in a dispute involving canal ports; details are sparse but the procedural lapse could speed legal or operational consequences.

Panama and Germany strengthened economic ties at a high-level meeting focused on logistics, the Panama Canal and investment opportunities, highlighting the SEM regime and existing German corporate presence.

gCaptain reports an increase in LNG shipments through the Panama Canal as shippers reroute to avoid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, raising operational and economic implications for Panama.

Iran attacked Gulf energy sites after the Pars gas field was hit, striking Qatar’s Ras Laffan and prompting missile interceptions in Saudi Arabia, pushing oil prices higher.

Acodeco has warned that a government bill mandating ethanol-blended gasoline may violate constitutional protections, harm competition and leave consumers facing equipment and warranty risks.

President Trump issued a 60-day waiver of the Jones Act to allow foreign ships to move fuel between U.S. ports, aiming to stabilize petrol costs amid oil disruptions from the Strait of Hormuz blockade.

Panama’s Cabinet approved a decree on March 18, 2026, allowing the Ministry of Economy and Finance to seek up to $12 billion in financing to cover the State’s liquidity needs. The move gives the MEF authority to arrange funding, with details on instruments and timing to follow.

Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission has urged the stock exchange to tighten listing and compliance rules after reviewing 2024 cases involving internal controls, auditor resignations and listing processes.

After U.S. tariffs on “Liberation Day” in April 2025 rattled markets, Indonesia, Malaysia and Cambodia negotiated reciprocal trade agreements with Washington to lower tariffs and restore access.

Tim Cook visited an Apple Store in Chengdu on March 18 amid Apple’s 50th anniversary events while the company’s COO met key suppliers, signaling continued reliance on China’s manufacturing ecosystem.

Saudi Arabia has opened a Red Sea ‘Plan B’ using Yanbu to route crude around the closed Strait of Hormuz, allowing some VLCCs to avoid the chokepoint amid ongoing regional conflict.

FreshPlaza reports that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have pushed some shipping traffic toward the Panama Canal, increasing transits and raising operational and economic considerations for the waterway and Panama.