The cost of crime...

What does crime cost Mexico's businesses? According to a new survey published today by the INEGI, Mexico's statistical institute, insecurity and crime cost Mexico's businesses the equivalent of 0.75% of GDP last year. Nearly nine out of ten businesses that were victims of crime did NOT turn to the justice system: 88.1% of businesses did not report the crime or did not initiate an averiguacion previa. Nearly four of ten businesses (37.4%) reported that they were victims of crime in 2011. Three of four reported that they felt insecure. 

A record year for direct foreign investment?

It depends on the regulatory authorities who must approve AB InBev's acquisition of the half of Grupo Modelo it doesn't yet own. The US$20.1 billion acquisition was announced at the end of last June. It still hasn't happened and won't until the regulators sign off on it.

When and if they do, Mexico should post its highest ever direct foreign investment (DFI) figure. It's looking very unlikely that it will be in 2012. Through September, DFI was US$13.05 billion. Without the InBev acquisition, this year's DFI will be modest.

Looks like we'll have to wait until 2013 for a blockbuster DFI number.

Public employment in Mexico's states...

INEGI just published information on public employment in Mexico's states in 2011. Of the 1,678,528 people employed in administrative jobs in the states, 22 states each employed less than 3% of the total. The biggest employer was Mexico City, with  14.3% of the total, followed by Veracruz (11.5%). The states of Mexico, Chiapas and Jalisco employed 7.5%, 7.1% and 7.1%, respectively. The remaining five states employed 3.3% - 5.9% of the total.

For details, see: http://www.inegi.org.mx/inegi/contenidos/espanol/prensa/Boletines/Boletin/Comunicados/Especiales/2012/diciembre/comunica2.pdf