Financial institutions are looking further afield for higher returns as capital markets around the world react to increasing globalisation. Fund managers are seeking to spread risk by investing in new financial markets, and for various reasons the LAC region (Latin American and Caribbean) is drawing more serious attention from them.

Many countries in the region are no longer seen as high investment risks - far from it, in fact. A recent study by DRI/McGraw-Hill ranked Argentina and Mexico as two of the lowest investment risks in the world, with strong exports and an increased orientation towards market economics helping to raise their profiles as particularly attractive emerging markets. Other exchanges, such as those in Panama and Jamaica, are competing to become regional niche players specialising in a few carefully selected securities. Of course not all exchanges in the area are equally appealing to the foreign investor. Almost without exception, however, the markets we approached are responding to global opportunities with more transparency and modernised technology to improve their trading and clearing systems.

In this special survey of major LAC, World Statesman asks some of the top authorities from the region to comment on the prospects for investors.

Argentina - Julio Macchi, President of Buenos Aires stock exchange
Brazil - A stockbroker's view of Brazil's stock markets
Mexico - Manuel Robleda, President of the Mexican stock exchange
Venezuala - Alejandro Salcedo Thielen, President of Caracas stock exchange
Jamaica - Rita Humphries Lewin, Chairman of the stock exchange
Panama - Roberto Brenes, CEO of the Panama stock exchange
Peru - Jose Luque Otero, President of Lima stock exchange
Trinidad and Tobago - Peter Clarke, Chairman of the stock exchange