Excerpt: Financial Integration in Latin America

This paper analyzes the scope and benefits from further regionalization of domestic financial services among Latin American countries. Following the financial crises in the 1980s and early 1990s, Latin Ameri¬can countries opened up their financial markets to foreign participation. This brought in North American and European banks, which were regarded as a source of capital, expertise, and know-how, as well as an opportunity for diversification from domestic shocks. Since the global financial crisis, Latin America has been facing a rapidly changing global financial landscape. Whereas global banks were previously seen as a source of strength, policymakers need to internalize that these banks could now represent a source of weakness for domestic financial systems. Moreover, the region is currently experiencing an important economic adjustment. Rebalancing of growth in China and the end of the commodity super-cycle is putting pressure on fiscal and external sectors in several Latin American economies.