Dollar has more value vs Colombian Peso

[robert angel]

Dollar is riding high once again....3145-1.  As a side note, it is very high against the Euro as well.  Let the good times roll! 


Fathertime!

Yea--it's at a five year high in the Philippines too right now and that's where my wife is right now--so that's good!

See where they have upgraded the Chinese currency big time? One step closer to becoming the world's 'reserve currency'. NOT a good omen for the USD.

http://www.dw.com/en/yuan-becomes-imf-reserve-currency/a-18884594

China

""Yuan becomes IMF reserve currency

China's currency, the renminbi, Has got a major status upgrade on Monday after the IMF agreed to include it in an elite basket of currencies. The decision marks a coming of age for the world's second-biggest economy.""

[vikingo]

Robert, have you read the article on the same link about China's economy declining to a three year low?
I wouldn't put too much emphasis on this writers opinion from Deutsche Welle. The Euro is almost at par with the USD and it's predicted by Goldman Sachs the Euro will be at 80 cents to the USD by the end of 2016 due to Europe's enormous challenges of the refugee crisis.
So European media shows a certain amount of envy toward the USD which doing so well.
A journalist on your link is raving about Germany's 6% unemployment. He forgot to count the almost one million refugees so far this year in Germany alone of which 90 % will join the ranks of the unemployed because they don't speak the language nor are they qualified to join the job market.
Gold is declining steadily, so is oil and so is the Euro. These indicators will keep boosting the USD.
I predict the COP to 'climb' to 3400 to the dollar in a few months, maybe higher toward the middle of next year.
The COP has lost it's attractiveness because their major export, oil, has declined to one half. Besides flowers and coffee they have the world nothing to offer. Actually it is a miracle that Colombia is doing so well in comparison to Venezuela which is really suffering from the fall of oil prices.
China is more interested in prestige then keeping the communist party out of it's economy, see Venezuela.
Besides the inclusion of China's currency in the IMF will not take effect until next fall.

Yesterday's LA Times states: 'No one expects the Chinese currency to seriously challenge the US dollar's international preeminence for years to come, little will change in practical terms anytime soon as a result of today's IMF announcement.'

 

[fathertime]

Yea--it's at a five year high in the Philippines too right now and that's where my wife is right now--so that's good!

See where they have upgraded the Chinese currency big time? One step closer to becoming the world's 'reserve currency'. NOT a good omen for the USD.

 

Hey Robert,


I did note that China is now a part of the bucket of reserve currencies, and they deserve to be there...their economy is huge and continues to grow. 

The Euro is almost at par with the USD and it's predicted by Goldman Sachs the Euro will be at 80 cents to the USD by the end of 2016 due to Europe's enormous challenges of the refugee crisis.

I hope the prediction is correct but I find it hard to believe the Euro would go so low. We have about 1 year to see if Goldman Sachs is blowing smoke.

.
I predict the COP to 'climb' to 2400 to the dollar in a few months, maybe higher toward the middle of next year.
The COP has lost it's attractiveness because their major export, oil, has declined to one half. Besides flowers and coffee they have the world nothing to offer. Actually it is a miracle that Colombia is doing so well in comparison to

Hey Viking,
Is that an error regarding the 2400-1?  The rest of your statements lead me to believe you meant to put a higher number in there than 2400, since the peso is currently at 3140-1?   If you meant to put 2400, I hope the prediction is wrong, and I"m sure you hope your prediction is wrong too!


Fathertime!   

[fathertime]

Yea--it's at a five year high in the Philippines too right now and that's where my wife is right now--so that's good!

My old buddy just returned from Thailand, and noted that the dollar is riding exceptionally high verses the Thai Baht....he is a whore monger, and further noted that the price of ladies has also risen at a faster rate!


Fathertime!

[AndyLee]

I predict the COP to 'climb' to 2400 to the dollar in a few months, maybe higher toward the middle of next year.
The COP has lost it's attractiveness because their major export, oil, has declined to one half. Besides flowers and coffee they have the world nothing to offer. Actually it is a miracle that Colombia is doing so well in comparison to Venezuela which is really suffering from the fall of oil prices.

I´m not sure which way you are predicting the COP, but, historically, 2400 would be normal whereas the 1700 we saw three years ago, and the 3200 we are seeing right now are unusual.
It´s also worth a read of Wiki to see that Colombia indeed has a LOT more to offer the world then just flowers and coffee. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Colombia

[vikingo]

Hey Robert,


I did note that China is now a part of the bucket of reserve currencies, and they deserve to be there...their economy is huge and continues to grow. 



I hope the prediction is correct but I find it hard to believe the Euro would go so low. We have about 1 year to see if Goldman Sachs is blowing smoke.

Hey Viking,
Is that an error regarding the 2400-1?  The rest of your statements lead me to believe you meant to put a higher number in there than 2400, since the peso is currently at 3140-1?   If you meant to put 2400, I hope the prediction is wrong, and I"m sure you hope your prediction is wrong too!


Fathertime!

I meant 3400 pesos not 2400, sorry.
The reason for Goldman Sachs' prediction is the enormous burden the gigantic stream of refugees has placed on the European economies because very few of those refugees can be integrated in the job market.
The great majority will be social cases for years to come.

[utopiacowboy]

So European media shows a certain amount of envy toward the USD which doing so well.

I had to laugh reading that. The USD is doing well now thanks to Clueless Janet Yellen's noise about rate hikes. They may raise interest rates a smidgen once or twice but the US economy is on the ropes and doomed to enter the twilight phase of the Second Great Depression. Colombia for all its problems has a much brighter future than the US.

[vikingo]

I´m not sure which way you are predicting the COP, but, historically, 2400 would be normal whereas the 1700 we saw three years ago, and the 3200 we are seeing right now are unusual.
It´s also worth a read of Wiki to see that Colombia indeed has a LOT more to offer the world then just flowers and coffee. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Colombia

I just corrected my post, I meant 3400 not 2400, my mistake.
About Colombia's exports. The commodity market has changed drastically in 2015, granted, I forgot Colombia also exports coal besides oil but the coal price is also half of what it was in 2011, price of gold has declined from over $1700 an ounce early this year, to just over $1000 and much of Colombian gold is in the hands of FARC and doesn't benefit the country. I know there are manufactured exports but have personally never seen anything manufactured in Colombia, except medication. Agricultural exports are suffering because of increased costs of fertilizer because of the high dollar. I can't see such a splendid increase in Colombia's economy anymore as predicted in the media in google, all of the information I saw is  from before 2014.
There are a couple of large shipyards in Cartagena but both are owned by international investors to the best of my knowledge, nevertheless they provide employment to many Colombians.

[utopiacowboy]

My wife worked for 25 years supervising various shops in Itaqui at what was then the world's largest textile plant. The Colombian textile industry has had big troubles but it still is a player. The cause of course is China who will not be content until they have  complete world domination.   

[robert angel]

My wife worked for 25 years supervising various shops in Itaqui at what was then the world's largest textile plant. The Colombian textile industry has had big troubles but it still is a player. The cause of course is China who will not be content until they have  complete world domination.

And just like Walmart, if they are allowed there, they will sell products at a profit loss (dumping) until the competition is not only out of business, but any apparatus needed to restart the 'homegrown' business back up is dismantled.

Then, they jack up the prices to make up for the money they lost to make themselves the sole provider of the product/s and gouge the people who have little if any alternative.

Make me think of how Gandhi insisted that each Indian, using a loom---spinning wheel, take time daily to make the clothes that they wore, because the British insisted they only buy their cloth and other 'staple' products. The Indians--read about the 'Salt March', weren't even allowed to gather salt for their food--not even to dry ocean water to get salt--that was only for the British to control.

Things have changed, but in some ways, they are the same.

[utopiacowboy]

And just like Walmart, if they are allowed there, they will sell products at a profit loss (dumping) until the competition is not only out of business, but any apparatus needed to restart the 'homegrown' business back up is dismantled.

Then, they jack up the prices to make up for the money they lost to make themselves the sole provider of the product/s and gouge the people who have little if any alternative.

Make me think of how Gandhi insisted that each Indian, using a loom---spinning wheel, take time daily to make the clothes that they wore, because the British insisted they only buy their cloth and other 'staple' products. The Indians--read about the 'Salt March', weren't even allowed to gather salt for their food--not even to dry ocean water to get salt--that was only for the British to control.

Things have changed, but in some ways, they are the same.

If it were up to me, I would have all of Wal-Mart's executives tried for treason and then televise their executions. I would default on every penny of US debt owned by China and embargo all of their products. China is an enemy of every freedom loving person in the world.

[vikingo]

Not wanting to interfere with the executions, but anyone who is interested in the USD - COP exchange should follow the 'hopefully' upcoming raise of the FED Rate, latest prediction is Dec. 16 but who knows when for sure.
That event will raise the value of the USD and increase the exchange rate.

Colombia raised it's prime rate recently to 5% I believe it was, to boost the COP and indeed  it helped the peso for a short while but the effort petered out and again we are above 3000. The Colombians can't raise the prime rate any higher a third time without hurting the economy.
They just don't have any more solutions. Maybe peace with the FARC will help the peso or it will devalue it even more, depending on the burden on or integration of 8000 useless marxist guerillas in the economy.

[robert angel]

Not wanting to interfere with the executions, but anyone who is interested in the USD - COP exchange should follow the 'hopefully' upcoming raise of the FED Rate, latest prediction is Dec. 16 but who knows when for sure.
That event will raise the value of the USD and increase the exchange rate.

Now, now---don't go confusing common sense  with what may actually happen, rate hike or not!

It's 'complicated,' but some real rich and powerful people--and I'm not talking about USA tourists, that's for sure, like a weak USA dollar.

But who the hell really knows what money's going to do in terms of inflation, deflation?

I was buying kilos of silver since it was 14.50 and lower an ounce--it hit 14.00 Nov. 20. But if you don't mind the trouble, finding  'scrap silver' making sure it's 'right' and then buying it below spot is where the profit is with silver.

But I am starting to back off on that and while I've got plenty already, I think for long term investment, you can't go wrong with ammunition--good ole bullets. I'm no dooms day predictor, not anticipating armageddon anytime soon, but bullets could probably be one of the last currencies and I could sell what I already have tomorrow for a nice profit. Throw in some desiccant to absorb any moisture, shrink wrap a pallet or so and it's good for a 100 years. I've shot surplus WWII ammo that wasn't even stored with care and it shot great! It's either very cheap ammo to start with or crappy guns that are more liable to cause issues.

Better quality guns and extra capacity magazines too--they probably won't get much cheaper or easier to get--Glock's not really 'high end' but nobody has any qualms about buying one if they want the best in simplicity, reliability and decent accuracy. A revolver will always have a place too

My wife asks me to take her out on the range and shoots incredibly well with either, even switching between half a dozen calibers, big, small, short, long and in between.  Almost annoys me! I'm 6ft and 205 pounds and she, at 90 pounds and 5 ft, sometimes out shoots me with a full sized 9, 44, 45, a 38 revolver or a 380 semi auto and in any order. Hand her a new gun that's a bit off and she figures it out and next mag or cylinder, she's thumb tacking again. After the first shot of double 00 12 gauge buck shot though, the kick throws her off a bit and I'm more 'in the paint' on target of follow ups. Physics..

And she wonders why I don't take her fishing more often--she can cast a spinning reels w/ bails--or bait cast reels--never creates a 'birds nest' tangle, can sense the lightest nibble and set that hook like a pro, play the line and bring the fish in...


But glad we've got most calibers, including plenty of 22 magnum rim fire and loaded up on 38P and 380 in 'critical defense' config---which had gotten stupid silly to find and expensive to buy. And I don't think that republican or democraptic majority is going to change the overall situation. Assault rifles, especially if you can build them yourselves from components, but also purchased already assembled, are probably as inexpensive as we'll ever see them again.

[Calipro]

I had to laugh reading that. The USD is doing well now thanks to Clueless Janet Yellen's noise about rate hikes.

The USD is doing well in spite of the fact that the Feds have kept the prime rate at record lows for years.....low prime means weaker dollar...higher prime means stronger dollar everything being equal.


Seems to me this is what is moving the dollar right now.


http://www.marketwatch.com/story/pressure-builds-on-saudi-arabia-before-fridays-opec-meeting-2015-11-30?mod=mw_share_facebook


The US is now energy neutral for the first time since the 1950's and is set to be a net energy exporter.....I don't think this trend will change and it is a game changer for the US as a whole.

[robert angel]

The USD is doing well in spite of the fact that the Feds have kept the prime rate at record lows for years.....low prime means weaker dollar...higher prime means stronger dollar everything being equal.


Seems to me this is what is moving the dollar right now.


http://www.marketwatch.com/story/pressure-builds-on-saudi-arabia-before-fridays-opec-meeting-2015-11-30?mod=mw_share_facebook


The US is now a net energy exporter........because we use less oil and pump more than ever before.

We still import a lot more oil than we export. But we do not have to, nor do we import as large a percentage as we used to. Between conventional drilling on land and off shore and fracking in the USA, we're uploading and STORING more oil than anyone realizes or wants to accurately tell us. A lot of the wells we hit, we just 'cap' for later--there's just so many, we couldn't refine what's down there if we ran the refineries full tilt for decades.

Why? Because it's smart economics. Use everyone else's oil first, while it's cheap. By then, when they're about dried up and asking a fortune for what THEY have left, we'll have --actually be sitting on, if not the most, certainly near the most reserves of high grade refined oil, gasoline and related products ready to go of any nation. And with plenty more left in the ground, as well as up in Canada and Alaska--and probably down in Mexico too.

If the govt. doesn't let the oil companies gouge the consumers and refrains from raising taxes on fuel too much, we'll still have relatively cheap oil for many years.  With gas below two bucks a gallon where we live, people forget or don't realize the state raised the once low state excise tax per gallon from 7.5 cents a gallon to 26.53 cents a gallon.

For all the talk of fuel economy, US Govt. 'CAFE' standards, of consumers wanting, needing more fuel efficient vehicles--be they smaller, electric, even solar powered, a very telling, (if indirectly)  story is what vehicle is by far not just the number one selling vehicle in the USA--and that includes ALL vehicles, big and little, two seaters, sedans, etc.--from Kias to Cadillacs. Hint: Jaguar, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Bentley, Porsche all can't rush fast enough to bring their massive new SUV's to our shores. Other than soccer moms, the acronym SUV for most people actually means "Stupid Useless Vehicle..."

Gas crisis--what crisis?--through 'energy crisis', recessions, etc:

For thirty eight straight years in a row--going back to the 1970s, the full sized Ford F150 has sold more than any vehicle in the USA. Every year.

And the Chevy, GMC, Chrysler and Dodge trucks have also lead sales and profits for their companies.

__________________________________________________________________________ ______________
http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=727&t=6

How much petroleum does the United States import and from where?

The United States imported approximately 9 million barrels per day (MMb/d) of petroleum in 2014 from about 75 countries. Petroleum includes crude oil, natural gas plant liquids, liquefied refinery gases, refined petroleum products such as gasoline and diesel fuel, and biofuels including ethanol and biodiesel. In 2014, about 80% of gross petroleum imports were crude oil, and about 46% of the crude oil that was processed in U.S. refineries was imported.

The United States exported about 4 MMb/d of crude oil and petroleum products in 2014, resulting in net imports (imports minus exports) of about 5 MMb/d in 2014. Net imports accounted for 27% of the petroleum consumed in the United States, the lowest annual average since 1985.

The top five source countries of U.S. petroleum imports in 2014 were Canada, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Venezuela, and Iraq.  The country rankings vary based on gross petroleum imports or net petroleum imports (gross imports minus exports).

[robert angel]

Robert, have you read the article on the same link about China's economy declining to a three year low?
I wouldn't put too much emphasis on this writers opinion from Deutsche Welle. The Euro is almost at par with the USD and it's predicted by Goldman Sachs the Euro will be at 80 cents to the USD by the end of 2016 due to Europe's enormous challenges of the refugee crisis.
So European media shows a certain amount of envy toward the USD which doing so well.
A journalist on your link is raving about Germany's 6% unemployment. He forgot to count the almost one million refugees so far this year in Germany alone of which 90 % will join the ranks of the unemployed because they don't speak the language nor are they qualified to join the job market.
Gold is declining steadily, so is oil and so is the Euro. These indicators will keep boosting the USD.
I predict the COP to 'climb' to 3400 to the dollar in a few months, maybe higher toward the middle of next year.
The COP has lost it's attractiveness because their major export, oil, has declined to one half. Besides flowers and coffee they have the world nothing to offer. Actually it is a miracle that Colombia is doing so well in comparison to Venezuela which is really suffering from the fall of oil prices.
China is more interested in prestige then keeping the communist party out of it's economy, see Venezuela.
Besides the inclusion of China's currency in the IMF will not take effect until next fall.

Yesterday's LA Times states: 'No one expects the Chinese currency to seriously challenge the US dollar's international preeminence for years to come, little will change in practical terms anytime soon as a result of today's IMF announcement.'

China's economy is in much worse shape than most realize. Their one child per couple law they just abandoned too late, is going to do their labor force what Japan's near zero birth growth has done there--more diapers are sold to adults than to babies in Japan--and their work force is not healthy. Yes, they (China) are spending huge amounts of money on their own domestic and foreign infrastructure projects, but they look a lot better on paper than the (probably but not known w/ certainty) truth probably would reveal. Many of their cities have large tracts of very large buildings--including numerous skyscrapers that sit empty or otherwise unfinished. The seemingly never ending increases in property values and sales/rental prices basically collapsed--the bubble 'popped'.

For now, the USA and China have a symbiotic relationship. They make, we buy. We sneeze, they catch a cold. They can't call out our trillion or so debt we owe them for treasury bonds and damage our economy--it would damage theirs too--at least here and now.....

They've manipulated their currency quite a bit to (naturally ) their own advantage, but entry into this new elite group will not allow them to play as loosely in manipulating their currency w/o increased scrutiny.

Basically the whole world now uses fiat currencies (not backed by gold, silver or really anything tangible)  and that, as well the world increasingly moving to a more singular global currency, has since before biblical times, and still to this day, long been seen as signs of impending disaster and that's the direction we're heading.

Then again, if you took all the gold that has ever been taken out of the ground and put it in one place, it would fit into three Olympic sized pools, with lots of room left in the third pool. And ALL that gold if used just to pay off the USA national debt--wouldn't put much of a dent in it. We're wayyy down a hole and meanwhile the USA govt rolls out more paper money w/o having to tell anyone (as they used to have to by law) exactly how much currency they're cranking out. It's like the scene where the Titantic --the 'unsinkable ship' is sinking and the band plays on....

[buencamino2]

I know there are manufactured exports but have personally never seen anything manufactured in Colombia

You have probably seen the Renault Duster toodleing along the streets of Barranquilla. It is assembled in Medellin and exported to a number of Latin American countries with most going to Mexico. The Mexicans love them. I have one myself. You have also probably sat in or maybe are sitting right now in a Rimax plastic chair manufactured right here in Valle de Cauca. According to the company they export to 30 countries. A couple of manufactured exports that surprised me are ultralight planes, three companies: Ibis Aircraft S.A., Aeroandina S.A. and Aerodynos de Colombia S.A., exported to the United States, Europe, Israel and South Korea. Another is artificial teeth (think I got a couple) from New Stetic, an Antiochian company, exported to United States, Argentina, Peru, Venezuela, Mexico, Malaysia and Italy.

Granted none of these are movers and shakers but saying you've never seen anything manufactured in Colombia for export is likely  incorrect.

[robert angel]

You have probably seen the Renault Duster toodleing along the streets of Barranquilla. It is assembled in Medellin and exported to a number of Latin American countries with most going to Mexico. The Mexicans love them. I have one myself. You have also probably sat in or maybe are sitting right now in a Rimax plastic chair manufactured right here in Valle de Cauca. According to the company they export to 30 countries. A couple of manufactured exports that surprised me are ultralight planes, three companies: Ibis Aircraft S.A., Aeroandina S.A. and Aerodynos de Colombia S.A., exported to the United States, Europe, Israel and South Korea. Another is artificial teeth (think I got a couple) from New Stetic, an Antiochian company, exported to United States, Argentina, Peru, Venezuela, Mexico, Malaysia and Italy.

Granted none of these are movers and shakers but saying you've never seen anything manufactured in Colombia for export is likely  incorrect.

When I saw the name 'Renault' I pictured an ugly toad of a vehicle. Actually it doesn't look bad at  all and in 4WD--all wheel drive, with the extra cosmetic and other features included that option 'bundle package'--it looks pretty good--especially the new model. It's a big hit in India too. It looks nice just as a base model, but they really can 'gussy it up' at the factory if you want to pay.

But I was surprised that Colombia has a long history of making a number of goods for export, and is often a leader in S. America. They also manufacture for Whirlpool and GE and LG wants to set up manufacturing operations there.

The auto industry in S. America goes all the way back to the first cars. Ford had Model T factories in Brazil, Argentina and Chile and other auto makers also had operations there early on. Then again, Ford built Model T's in his Japan factory!

There's a lot more airplane, jet building, aerospace work , high tech medical machinery and pharmaceutical concerns in S. America than people realize. Same with ships and auto plants since the 1990s. So many gringos think it's mainly chicas, flowers and cocaine that they export.

If Brazil keeps sliding, it could open up some doors even wider for Colombia.

>>Although Colombia has been producing domestic appliances since the 1930s, it wasn't until the late 1990s that Colombian corporations began exporting to neighboring countries. One of Colombia's largest producer of domestic appliances, HACEB has been producing refrigeration since 1940. Some domestic corporations include: Challenger, Kalley, HACEB, Imusa, and Landers. In 2011, Groupe SEB acquired Imusa as a form to expand to the Latin American market.[17] Colombia also manufacturers for foreign companies as well, such as Whirlpool and GE.[18] LG has also been interested in building a plant in Colombia. Colombia is also Latin America's 3rd largest producer of appliances behind Mexico and Brazil and is growing rapidly.

Electronics[edit]

Colombia is a major producer of electronics in Latin America, and is South America's 2nd largest high-tech market.[19] Colombia is also the 2nd largest producer and exporter of electronics made by domestic companies in Latin America. Since the early 2000s, major Colombian corporations began exporting aggressively to foreign markets. Some of these companies include: Challenger, PcSmart, Compumax, Colcircuirtos, and Kalley. Colombia is the first country in Latin America to manufacture a domestically made 4K television.[20] In 2014, the Colombian Government launched a national campaign to promote IT and Electronic sectors, as well as investing in Colombia's own companies.[19] Although innovation remains low on the global scale, the government sees heavy potential in the high tech industry and is investing heavily in education and innovation centers all across the nation. Because of this, Colombia could become a major global manufacturer of electronics and play an important role in the global high tech industry in the near future. In 2014, the Colombian government released another national campaign to help Colombian companies have a bigger share of the national market.[21]<<

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Colombia

[vikingo]

You have probably seen the Renault Duster toodleing along the streets of Barranquilla. It is assembled in Medellin and exported to a number of Latin American countries with most going to Mexico. The Mexicans love them. I have one myself. You have also probably sat in or maybe are sitting right now in a Rimax plastic chair manufactured right here in Valle de Cauca. According to the company they export to 30 countries. A couple of manufactured exports that surprised me are ultralight planes, three companies: Ibis Aircraft S.A., Aeroandina S.A. and Aerodynos de Colombia S.A., exported to the United States, Europe, Israel and South Korea. Another is artificial teeth (think I got a couple) from New Stetic, an Antiochian company, exported to United States, Argentina, Peru, Venezuela, Mexico, Malaysia and Italy.

Granted none of these are movers and shakers but saying you've never seen anything manufactured in Colombia for export is likely  incorrect.

Thanks for enlightening me, buencamino, I had no idea...

[vikingo]

When I saw the name 'Renault' I pictured an ugly toad of a vehicle. Actually it doesn't look bad at  all and in 4WD--all wheel drive, with the extra cosmetic and other features included that option 'bundle package'--it looks pretty good--especially the new model. It's a big hit in India too. It looks nice just as a base model, but they really can 'gussy it up' at the factory if you want to pay.

But I was surprised that Colombia has a long history of making a number of goods for export, and is often a leader in S. America. They also manufacture for Whirlpool and GE and LG wants to set up manufacturing operations there.

The auto industry in S. America goes all the way back to the first cars. Ford had Model T factories in Brazil, Argentina and Chile and other auto makers also had operations there early on. Then again, Ford built Model T's in his Japan factory!

There's a lot more airplane, jet building, aerospace work , high tech medical machinery and pharmaceutical concerns in S. America than people realize. Same with ships and auto plants since the 1990s. So many gringos think it's mainly chicas, flowers and cocaine that they export.

If Brazil keeps sliding, it could open up some doors even wider for Colombia.

>>Although Colombia has been producing domestic appliances since the 1930s, it wasn't until the late 1990s that Colombian corporations began exporting to neighboring countries. One of Colombia's largest producer of domestic appliances, HACEB has been producing refrigeration since 1940. Some domestic corporations include: Challenger, Kalley, HACEB, Imusa, and Landers. In 2011, Groupe SEB acquired Imusa as a form to expand to the Latin American market.[17] Colombia also manufacturers for foreign companies as well, such as Whirlpool and GE.[18] LG has also been interested in building a plant in Colombia. Colombia is also Latin America's 3rd largest producer of appliances behind Mexico and Brazil and is growing rapidly.

Electronics[edit]

Colombia is a major producer of electronics in Latin America, and is South America's 2nd largest high-tech market.[19] Colombia is also the 2nd largest producer and exporter of electronics made by domestic companies in Latin America. Since the early 2000s, major Colombian corporations began exporting aggressively to foreign markets. Some of these companies include: Challenger, PcSmart, Compumax, Colcircuirtos, and Kalley. Colombia is the first country in Latin America to manufacture a domestically made 4K television.[20] In 2014, the Colombian Government launched a national campaign to promote IT and Electronic sectors, as well as investing in Colombia's own companies.[19] Although innovation remains low on the global scale, the government sees heavy potential in the high tech industry and is investing heavily in education and innovation centers all across the nation. Because of this, Colombia could become a major global manufacturer of electronics and play an important role in the global high tech industry in the near future. In 2014, the Colombian government released another national campaign to help Colombian companies have a bigger share of the national market.[21]<<

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Colombia

Come to think off it, Renault had an assembly plant in Colombia for a while; lots of Renault 4' were sold here, some are still around. Colombians called him 'El Amigo Fiel'.
Latin America has assembly plants set up by foreign countries to take advantage of cheap labor, no doubt, but industrialized countries they're not and their exports such as they are go mainly to LA countries, not many go worldwide. If you live in the States, wouldn't it scare you if you saw sophisticated medical equipment in your clinic made in Colombia?
I don't know about Medellín or Bogotá, but what I've seen in the last six years here on the coast, these people can't even build a proper sidewalk, almost all of them are two feet wide, impossible for two slim people to walk side by side. The man walks ahead, indio style, to confront wild beasts and his woman walks behind him.
Almost every house in this barrio was build with a garage, only thing is most of them have been converted to a one room apartment for the black sheep in the family who can't find a job and the rest are so narrow that you can get barely out of the car once you are inside and your passenger has to get out in the rain, because the car has to be way over on one side inside the garage, so you can get your door halfway open and squeeze your ass outside. And I'm talking about a regular compact car.
These folks spend half a fortune on ornaments on the facade and the bathrooms and kitchens are so small, you can barely turn around in them.
These Colombian architects should be executed, along with the Walmart executives and the guy who wrote that he is in Colombia because of the food.

[Awesome]

and the guy who wrote that he is in Colombia because of the food.

I love the food in Colombia.  I love the Colombian food and I love the wide variety of other types of food readily available here.  Where I'm staying I can walk for 5 minutes and pass 20 eateries.  I love the street food.  I love being able to just grab a chocolo con queso just for the hell of it.  The fresh cut up fruit and fresh squeezed fruit juice available on every street corner.  I feel like pacman everywhere I stop and eat something.  There are so many places that only specialize in certain types of desserts.  There's a place by me that specializes in only waffles, they have a menu with like 30 different ways to make waffles.


I don't know if I've ever heard of anyone saying they moved to Colombia, or any country for that matter, just for the food but the food situation here is definitely a plus for me.  Maybe things on the coast are different than where I'm at.  I know that one of the reasons there are so many gringo expats in Medellin is the very wide variety of quality food readily and cheaply available.

[Calipro]

We still import a lot more oil than we export. But we do not have to, nor do we import as large a percentage as we used to. Between conventional drilling on land and off shore and fracking in the USA, we're uploading and STORING more oil than anyone realizes or wants to accurately tell us. A lot of the wells we hit, we just 'cap' for later--there's just so many, we couldn't refine what's down there if we ran the refineries full tilt for decades.

Why? Because it's smart economics. Use everyone else's oil first, while it's cheap. By then, when they're about dried up and asking a fortune for what THEY have left, we'll have --actually be sitting on, if not the most, certainly near the most reserves of high grade refined oil, gasoline and related products ready to go of any nation. And with plenty more left in the ground, as well as up in Canada and Alaska--and probably down in Mexico too.

If the govt. doesn't let the oil companies gouge the consumers and refrains from raising taxes on fuel too much, we'll still have relatively cheap oil for many years.  With gas below two bucks a gallon where we live, people forget or don't realize the state raised the once low state excise tax per gallon from 7.5 cents a gallon to 26.53 cents a gallon.

For all the talk of fuel economy, US Govt. 'CAFE' standards, of consumers wanting, needing more fuel efficient vehicles--be they smaller, electric, even solar powered, a very telling, (if indirectly)  story is what vehicle is by far not just the number one selling vehicle in the USA--and that includes ALL vehicles, big and little, two seaters, sedans, etc.--from Kias to Cadillacs. Hint: Jaguar, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Bentley, Porsche all can't rush fast enough to bring their massive new SUV's to our shores. Other than soccer moms, the acronym SUV for most people actually means "Stupid Useless Vehicle..."

Gas crisis--what crisis?--through 'energy crisis', recessions, etc:

For thirty eight straight years in a row--going back to the 1970s, the full sized Ford F150 has sold more than any vehicle in the USA. Every year.

And the Chevy, GMC, Chrysler and Dodge trucks have also lead sales and profits for their companies.

__________________________________________________________________________ ______________
http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=727&t=6

How much petroleum does the United States import and from where?

The United States imported approximately 9 million barrels per day (MMb/d) of petroleum in 2014 from about 75 countries. Petroleum includes crude oil, natural gas plant liquids, liquefied refinery gases, refined petroleum products such as gasoline and diesel fuel, and biofuels including ethanol and biodiesel. In 2014, about 80% of gross petroleum imports were crude oil, and about 46% of the crude oil that was processed in U.S. refineries was imported.

The United States exported about 4 MMb/d of crude oil and petroleum products in 2014, resulting in net imports (imports minus exports) of about 5 MMb/d in 2014. Net imports accounted for 27% of the petroleum consumed in the United States, the lowest annual average since 1985.

The top five source countries of U.S. petroleum imports in 2014 were Canada, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Venezuela, and Iraq.  The country rankings vary based on gross petroleum imports or net petroleum imports (gross imports minus exports).

In the past six years, U.S. production has [/size]increased dramatically[/color][/size], catching global markets off-guard and contributing to the crash in oil prices. Last year, the U.S.[/color][/size]surpassed Saudi Arabia[/color][/size] to become the world's biggest oil producer. [/color]
[/size][/color]
[/size]http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-01/u-s-oil-imports-from-opec-have-plunged-to-a-28-year-low[/color]

[/size]Well there is little doubt that the strength of the US dollar in spite of the ridiculously low prime rate for years is do to US oil production and exports in general.....if you don't like the US economy I don't suggest you go any place else because we are kicking the rest of the world's ass right now. [/color]

[buencamino2]

Come to think off it, Renault had an assembly plant in Colombia for a while; lots of Renault 4' were sold here, some are still around. Colombians called him 'El Amigo Fiel'.

...these people can't even build a proper sidewalk, almost all of them are two feet wide, impossible for two slim people to walk side by side. These Colombian architects should be executed, along with the Walmart executives and the guy who wrote that he is in Colombia because of the food.

The SOFASA plant in Envigado started production of the Renault 4L in 1969 and continues producing Renault models including my Duster today. In 1991 that plant also made Toyota Land Cruisers and the next year Hilux pickups. Toyota production continued until 2008. Both makes (Renault and Toyota) were exported to Venezuela and Ecuador for many years. The history of automotive assembly in Colombia over the years is bizarre and includes makes from about ten different countries. A popular taxi for a while was the Dodge Dart made at a plant in Bogotá.

Regarding the crappy work I think they call that "chapecería" or something like that up there in Barranquilla.

[robert angel]

The SOFASA plant in Envigado started production of the Renault 4L in 1969 and continues producing Renault models including my Duster today. In 1991 that plant also made Toyota Land Cruisers and the next year Hilux pickups. Toyota production continued until 2008. Both makes (Renault and Toyota) were exported to Venezuela and Ecuador for many years. The history of automotive assembly in Colombia over the years is bizarre and includes makes from about ten different countries. A popular taxi for a while was the Dodge Dart made at a plant in Bogotá.

Regarding the crappy work I think they call that "chapecería" or something like that up there in Barranquilla.

The car truck business is so weird. The Germans are moving production of their luxury liners into Mexico big time, yet Colombia builds cars that go to Mexico. Mexico builds plenty of USA branded and USA sold trucks-Silverados, etc--hell--they build Cadillacs and a whole bunch of our cars. More and more  Toyotas and Hondas sold in the USA are Mexico built too.

Toyota, never mind the ridiculously expensive dinosaur Land Cruiser, never should survived past the 1950s. During the USA--Korean War (Conflict?) The US Military was looking for a multipurpose military vehicle to replace the venerable Willy's Jeep--which American Motors eventually acquired, then Chrysler --which is now owned by Fiat Italy and is making variations of vehicles under the jeep name in Europe. Jeeps make HUGE profits.


Today the Jeep--the crudest, most overpriced vehicle with a ride that all but guarantees you'll develop hemorrhoids, has the highest resale value after 5 years of ANY vehicle-- 74% retained value, --and that's without all the macho add on things guys usually tack on. I know several people who bought used jeeps, drove them for 2 or 3 years, then sold them for more than they paid--usually to red neck teenagers with deep pockets.

But any way----the USA knew that the Japanese economy was flushing down the tubes and they offered some moneys for Japanese companies to build and submit 'prototypes' to replace the Willy's jeep.

When the Imperial Japanese Army occupied the Philippines in 1941 they found an old Bantam Mk II Jeep and promptly sent it to Japan. The Japanese military authorities ordered Toyota to make a similar vehicle but to change the appearance, so they really had already stolen the design

But after the war, Toyota was basically months at best from going out of business. The USA gave them some money and they submitted a prototype --a 100 vehicles that the US Army promptly rejected. It was in effect, the original 'Land Cruiser'--or what they heavily 'borrowed' from the Philippines, which had taken a vehicle from the American Bantam Company and heavily 'tweaked' it. Today they're still all over the Philippines--taxis for the masse--called 'Jeepneys'.

The vehicle made ('remade--tweaked'?) in 1951, the 'BJ' (LOL) in 1954 became the 'Land Cruiser' and variations--the FJ series etc, have continuously been put out ever since. You can spend over 80 thousand on just the base model Land Cruiser in the USA and the soccer moms with one or two kids are all lined up and happy to pay full retail.

There are few vehicles being built today that retain so many characteristic the Land Cruiser still retains over half a century later--the ladder frame, thick metal panels and for the longest time--their all but bullet proof, straight six engine'.

The price has changed a bit though--this is direct from Toyota--for the base model. Imagine how much the same vehicle, but in Lexus trim, costs!

2016 Land Cruiser
See 2015 Land Cruise---The timeless icon.
$83,825
starting msrp 1
13/18
est. mpg 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Land_Cruiser

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Land_Cruiser#1950-1959

[buencamino2]

I didn't see any mention of the Delta Motors Corporation in your post. They assembled Toyotas in the Philipines and produced their own "Mini Cruser", a miniaturized Toyota FJ 40 jeep. They were exported to very few countries but oddly one of them was Colombia and I see them now and then. Getting old though because the last were produced in the 80s.