By Lara Holmes

February 14 will leave an economic impact of 900 million pesos to Mexico.

The celebration of February 14 will create an economic impact to the country of nearly 900 million pesos, according to a study by the Chamber of Commerce, Services and Small Tourism  in Mexico City (CANACOPE). According to the analysis, for small traders and MSMEs the day is a formal commemoration of love and friendship that will generate 234 million pesos.

The survey reveals that 61% of those who spend more on this date will be women, followed by men with 39%.

By Lara Holmes

Brazil sought trade balance with Mexico, but its approach comes after 13 consecutive years of having obtained a surplus in bilateral trade for a cumulative total of 27.151 million dollars.

From 1998 to 2010, Brazil recorded trade surpluses with Mexico and it was not until the period January to November 2011, latest available data, when this trend was reversed, with a balance of $129 million on the Mexican side.

By Eliane Portillo

2011 was the driest year in over 30% of the national territory. Crops of beans, wheat, forage and white corn are the most affected.

The nearly $34 billion pesos for the comprehensive program for the attention of the 2012 drought are a significant amount of money against one of the worst natural phenomena experience in the country.

By Eliane Portillo

The vulnerable recovery, for Sergio Martin, specialist, the current crisis is a sequel to previous crises. Global growth has been under (1.9%), and in general, retail sales and the manufacturing sector are recovered, the latter is in moderate expansion.

In the case of Europe, the specialist says that the crisis situation will prevail because of the deterioration of the welfare state, especially in countries like Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal which, of course, will have impact on Mexico.

By Eliane Portillo

4.4 million Mexicans spent $46.7 million pesos to buy on line in 2011. MercadoLibre.com certified 4,000 virtual stores.$46.7 million pesos of online purchases accounts for about 0.4% of the gross domestic product. The profitable deal is considered below the average of Latin America, and much lower as compared to 0.7% for the Chilean economy or almost 1% reached by Brazil, the country with the largest e-commerce in the region, according to Ernesto Piedras, of the Competitive Intelligence Unit, an independent telecommunications consultant.

Just a few but willing to spend. The e-shoppers or buyers online account for 12.5% of Internet users in the country, which means that 4.4 million Mexicans use this type of technology for the acquisition of goods and services.

By Eliane Portillo

The President of the National Association of the Plastic Industries (ANIPAC), Eduardo Martinez Hernandez, reported that over 2,500 tons of polyethylene and PVC will be used in the electoral process in 2012 in Mexico.

According to information provided by ANIPAC, 120 companies in the plastics industry are involved in the production of materials that will be part of the elections, and expect that sales will generate revenue of $300 million pesos. This means that sales of plastic will be 30% higher compared to the previous year.

By Eliane Portillo

The Mexican labor market experienced at the end of 2011 a positive performance, better than expected by analysts. This way, although it has failed to recover the pre-crisis levels, unemployment rate ranked in its lowest level in the past three years.

The National Institute of statistics reported that the unemployment rate finished 2011 in 4.51%, below 4.94% in December 2010 and 4.8% in December 2009.

By Eliane Portillo

This investment, however, will be less than that the one conducted in 2011, when investment reached $3.6 billion dollars. In press conference, Vicente Yañez, President of the National Association of Shops, Supermarkets and Department Stores (ANTAD), explained that this year their estimates are more cautious because of factors such as international economic stagnation, the problems of national insecurity, unfair competition and illegal trade.

Supermarket chains are cautious in 2012 with respect to their investments in the country. For this year they plan to invest about $ 3.2 billion dollars, 56% of this amount will go to the opening of new stores. The remaining percentage shall apply to remodeling, systems and technology, logistics and distribution, among other items.

By Eliane Portillo

The State Governments of Campeche, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Tabasco and Yucatan, together with Sectur, will invest $679 million dollars in the promotion and works on the occasion of the Mayan World Program. SECTUR anticipated the arrival of 52 millions of tourists to the Riviera Maya in 2012.

The tourist attraction of the Riviera Maya has become tip of spear mainly for beach tourism and archaeological tourism markets. The Secretariat of Tourism (Sectur) estimated an income of over $270 billion pesos in Mexico.

By Eliane Portillo

Consumers recognize that the consumption of piracy is damaging for the economy and contributes to crime but does not bind the problem to a personal cost.

The purchase of pirated products distinguished no social stratum. The consumption of piracy is a widespread phenomenon of society, not due to socio-economic considerations but acquired in the informal sector of the economy, according to data from the American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico AC and the 4th survey of piracy consumption habits in Mexico.

By Eliane Portillo

As temperatures drop, the sale of flu medicines can be increased to 40% or 50%.

In winter season, we can sell up to 150% more pieces by store, explained the Sales Department of Farmacias Benavides, drugstores chain with more than 1,000 branches in Latin America.

By Eliane Portillo

Consumer confidence was affected by the international environment. The Mexican consumer confidence improved 6% in 2011 compared to 2010 average. However, in particular during the last quarter it experienced a weakening due   to exacerbation of the financial crisis in Europe, an increased risk that the United States may fell into a recession and the peso weakened.

According to the Bank of Mexico (Banxico), in December 2011 finished 90.84 points, which meant that it ended the year at -0.4% compared to the end of 2010.

By Eliane Portillo

Mexico received $1.77 billion in remittances in November, up 8.86 percent compared to the same month in 2010, the Bank of Mexico said Monday.

Remittances sent by Mexicans living abroad are the country’s second-largest source of foreign exchange and help cover the living expenses of millions of people.

Mexico received $20.96 billion in remittances between January and November 2011, a figure that was up 7.16 percent from the same period in the prior year.

Most of the remittances are sent from the United States, where an estimated 12 million Mexicans live, with about half of them being undocumented migrants.

By Eliane Portillo

The Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) issued a tender for the installation of an underground network in Mexico City.

This network will be placed in the historic centre of Mexico City, between the streets of Tacuba and Republica de Guatemala.

The execution of the works must be made in 143 calendar days and the estimated date to begin the work will be January 30th, 2012. The date of completion of the work will be on June 20th, 2012.

Tender number is LO-018TOQ988-N2-2011 of the dossier 119160. Deadline for reception of proposals is January 12th, 2012.

By Eliane Portillo

Mexican professionals located employment as a priority in 2012, even above the safety as well as high disinterest in politics despite being an election year.

According to the survey by OCCMundial.com, this year the job tops the list of concerns of professionals, with 36.6%, while safety is paramount to 27.4% of the respondents when in 2011 was the most important for 33.9 %.

In terms of employment, states that 61% of professionals said that the best thing that could happen this year is, find a new or better jobs, topic that ranks as the most often mentioned in the wishes of the Mexicans for the fourth year a row.

Meanwhile, he adds, the percentage of professionals who felt that the best thing that could happen this year is to keep their jobs almost doubled, from 3.2% in 2011 to 6.1% in 2012.

By Eliane Portillo

Mexico has become the leading country in attracting foreign direct investment in the aerospace industry. Only in 2010, reached 30 companies, surpassing China, which only got 25, U.S. 15, and Russia 10.

The aerospace industry in Mexico accounted for $3.2 billion dollars in 2010, considered Eduardo Solis Alfaro, representative of Eaton Aerospace, a company that designs, manufactures and integrates aircraft parts in Chihuahua.

By Eliane Portillo

Chief Executive of the Mexican Association of advertising agencies, Gustavo Ross Quaas, was satisfied with the work of the organization during 2011 and expectations for next year. He also sees a future of growth for advertising industry in Mexico.

According to Ross, Mexican advertising industry has great potential that lately has begun to leverage. Good talent, international clients and successful campaigns worldwide are some of the points that highlights the president of the Mexican Association of Advertising Agencies, who believes that this year has been very satisfactory and that 2012 will be surpassed.

This year we had a positive balance. We witnessed the culmination of media convergence. Finally broadcasters and telecommunications companies began to compete, providing broadband that allows online HDTV and mobile phones became the largest and complete communication devices, said Ross.

By Eliane Portillo

The tradition of buying and gift giving during the Christmas season does not disappear, but is expected to fall due to the global economic situation, says Nielsen.

For seasons shopping, half of global consumers said they will spend the same as in 2010. 45% of Mexicans said that will reduce their spending compared to last year, 24% plans to reduce spending, revealed the Online study by Nielsen.

By Eliane Portillo

According to KPMG in Mexico only 35% of companies are taking courses or had implemented measures to protect the databases of personal information in their possession. The rest is a red light and endangers the business continuity.

Over a year after the entry into force of federal Law to Protect Personal Data Held by Individuals (LFPDPPP), only 3 out of 10 companies have enforcement measures, leaving people vulnerable to identity theft.

By Eliane Portillo

Mexican Senate approved with 55 votes for and 47 against the Free-Trade Agreement (FTA) between Mexico and Peru. With it aims to achieve at least in the next five years, $2.7 billion dollars in exports from Mexico to that country.

Departing point for this development was the entry into force of the Economic Complementation Agreement, document that provides new business opportunities for Mexican entrepreneurs and helps to further diversify the domestic consumers supply.

From 2000 to 2010 bilateral trade increased by 251%, becoming $1.456 billion dollars in 2011. To this is added the fact that Mexican exports grew 371% -by moving from $238,000,000 to $1.119 billion dollars, and imports 91% - going from $177 to $337 million dollars.

Although imports to Peru increased nearly 30% on average since 2006 to reach the $29 billion in 2010; of these, Mexico participates only with 3.4%, which shows a clear lag in a growing market. Regarding exports from Mexico to Peru, they represented only 0.33% of the total.

With the approval of the agreement with Peru, is intended to increase Mexican exports in the automotive, refrigeration and freight industries.

Thus, the agreement is added to trade liberalization programs with other countries of Latin America that passed the Senate. Countries that will be involved in this trade are Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua