Bladex obtained solid results from all three of its capital markets platforms in 2007. The Bank’s recent investments in risk quantification and monitoring systems yielded excellent results during a particularly challenging year, allowing it to maintain a solid base of liquidity and to support continued loan growth under volatile market conditions, especially in the second half of the year.  At the same time, Bladex’s unparalleled knowledge and expertise across all of the Region’s financial markets resulted in another year of strong revenue growth from intermediation in loans, fixed income securities, and other instruments.

The Treasury, based in the Panama head office, effectively managed the Bank’s liquidity position in a year that brought an abrupt end to a long period of relaxed credit conditions in the world’s financial markets.  During 2007, the Bank closed its first-ever funding transactions denominated in local currencies of the Region, including a bond issuance in Peruvian soles, and interbank borrowings and loans in Mexican pesos.  Bladex also signed a five-year international loan syndication for an amount of $150 million, and a three-year club deal for another $75 million.  Additionally, despite the market’s tight liquidity conditions, the Bank was able to increase credit lines in its favor from international correspondent banks by 27%, bringing the total to over $2 billion, while deposits from regional banks and corporations exceeded $1.5 billion, the highest level in over six years.  Bladex also updated its $2.25 billion European Medium-Term Note (EMTN) program.