Q3 2016 – Is Election 2016 Different for Puerto Rico?
Does the upcoming race change anything?
With elections just around the corner, do Puerto Ricans think the next Governor will have a profound impact on the economy? This issue of Compass analyzes the performance of HCCG’s six quarterly indices during the past non-election years compared with historical election years from 2000 thru 2012 and this year’s results. Find out if the consumer index tracks Puerto Ricans’ sense of financial security in their spending patterns. However, banking, construction, and manufacturing as well as the coincident index suggest the results of this election could prolong the lengthy economic recession of the past 11 years. Any election year brings uncertainty and many business owners could be hesitant to make long-term decisions. To complicate matters, the recently US Congress mandated Fiscal Control Board has absolute powers over the administration of the Island until fiscal discipline is restored, public debt is serviced, and there is access to financial markets. What is certain is that all of this will take years in the making.