CSS and Mining, Bank of America’s Focus of Alert

Aerial view of the Cobre Panama mine

The US bank says social security reform is essential to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability, while the mine represents a significant economic risk that must be addressed by the government of José Raúl Mulino this year.  Bank of America (BOA) published an analysis of Panama’s economic outlook this week, warning that market conditions appear adverse for the country and that concerns persist about investors’ handling of the fiscal situation.  So far, Panama has only lost its investment grade rating from Fitch, which downgraded the country from BBB- to BB+ at the end of March last year. Moody’s changed Panama’s outlook from stable to negative, but maintained its investment grade rating of Baa3. Meanwhile, Standard & Poor’s downgraded Panama from BBB to BBB- at the end of November, still in investment grade territory.