China looks to deepen ties with Latin America

China's president, Xi Jinping, has embarked on a week-long visit to Latin America that will include national visits to Ecuador, Peru and Chile. Mr Xi's trip comes instantly on the heels of a US presidential election that has called the next of US-Latin America relations into question, and highlights China's emergence as a key trade and investment partner for the region.

Costa Rica Annual consumer prices drop for sixth consecutive month in December and hover at historical low

Consumer prices increased 0.19% in December over the previous month, which contrasted November’s 0.01% decrease. According to the Statistical Institute, the print reflected an increase in half of the twelve components of the index, with food and non-alcoholic beverages recording the strongest rise.

Consumer prices fell 0.8% in annual terms in December, which marked an development from November’s 1.2% drop and the sixth consecutive monthly decline. The six consecutive drops in annual consumer prices not only reflect subdued prices for commodities, but as well methodological changes in the calculation of the price index as the Statistical Institute recently changed the base month to June 2015. Meanwhile, annual average inflation dipped down from 1.3% in November to 0.8% in December and marked the lowest reading on record.