Coverage of national economic trends, policy decisions, and indicators that affect everyday life. We provide analysis of fiscal policy, employment, and growth drivers.
A Panamanian study finds rainfall in the Panama Canal watershed has declined for decades and could fall about 10% more by 2050. The findings raise new concerns for water supply and canal operations.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has stalled as the US and Iran accuse each other of violating a ceasefire. The disruption raises concerns for global energy markets and trade routes.
MiBus moved 35.8 million passengers in the first quarter of 2026, up from 31.6 million a year earlier. March also showed stronger demand, with more riders and more bus trips than in 2025.
Finance Minister Felipe Chapman said Panama is not creating a new tax on new homes, but ending a housing tax exemption that conflicts with updated interest benefits. The clarification is important for buyers and developers monitoring housing costs.
Luis Horacio Moreno Tejeira, a Panamanian banker, writer and academic known for defending ethics and civics, has died. He is remembered as a public figure who linked professional success with civic responsibility.
Work in Cuatro Altos is set to begin on April 13, with the Ministry of Public Works intervening at the roundabout for a project expected to last three to four months. The upgrade is intended to benefit thousands of daily users.
Mobile casinos are becoming part of Panama’s expanding digital economy, highlighting the country’s shift toward mobile-first online services. The trend points to growing opportunities in technology, payments, and digital infrastructure.
Venezuela’s legislature has approved a mining bill intended to reassure foreign investors with clearer mineral rights rules and independent arbitration. The move is part of a broader push to revive capital inflows in a sector long hampered by political risk.
CK Hutchison has opened arbitration in London against Maersk in a dispute involving Panama Canal ports. The case adds to wider tensions over control of strategic shipping assets in Panama.
Panama’s economy grew 4.4% in 2025, up from 2.7% in 2024, but lawmakers are still pressing the government over unemployment concerns.
Ecuador has imposed a 100-percent tariff on imports from Colombia in a sharp escalation over drug trafficking and border security. The move could rattle regional trade and deepen diplomatic strains in the Andean region.
Panama’s Metro is rolling out new contactless payment validators across stations and MiBus buses. The upgrade aims to make fare collection faster and more convenient for daily riders.
One in three children in Panama lives in monetary poverty, with Indigenous children facing the harshest conditions. The data shows economic growth has not closed the country’s inequality gap.
The IMA is holding agro fairs this Friday starting at 8:00 a.m., offering basic food basket items at low prices. The events give Panama residents a chance to buy essential goods more affordably.
A Hong Kong company has filed arbitration against Maersk in a dispute over Panama port control linked to the Balboa terminal. The case adds pressure to a sensitive battle over terminal management near the Panama Canal.
President José Raúl Mulino visited the Port of Balboa and stressed its operation with Panamanian workers. The move highlighted the government’s focus on protecting national interests in a strategic logistics hub.
Panama’s Supreme Court has rejected a constitutional challenge against the expropriation order for Isla Margarita, a strategically located area near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. The decision keeps the land under state control as a potentially valuable site for investment.
Panama’s president addressed tensions involving China, highlighting the country’s effort to balance major international relationships while protecting its strategic interests. The issue is especially important because of Panama’s role as a global trade hub and the Panama Canal.
A fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire is drawing attention to the human toll inside Iran and the wider regional risks tied to the Strait of Hormuz. The conflict could reverberate through global energy markets and affect Panama through fuel and shipping costs.
Bladex has entered IFC’s Global Trade Finance Program to expand trade financing across Latin America and the Caribbean. The deal is designed to improve access to credit and support regional commerce.