www.CostaRicaTicas.com

It tells me there are suckers behind every suckers rally. But SERIOUSLY... these were the most beaten down stocks, it makes sense that when there is a rally they would climb most. I wouldn't touch ABK with a 10 ft pole except to short it.

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"The only normal people are those you don't know very well." Joe Ancis

When I was in CR back in March '04 the exchange rate was as follows.

Thursday, March 18, 2004

1 US Dollar = 436.360 Costa Rican Colon

1 Costa Rican Colon (CRC) = 0.002292 US Dollar (USD)

Now today in checking the rate I'm getting the following exchange.

1 US Dollar = 505.780 Costa Rican Colon

1 Costa Rican Colon (CRC) = 0.001977 US Dollar (USD)

Looks like we're doing better now than back in 2004, no?

No. Unless you mean is the US dollar doing better than a currency from an inflation-addicted third world country. From 2004 until now Costa Rica has inflated (devalued) its currency faster than the USA has. Yes, you get more Colones to the buck, but it takes a lot more Colones to buy the same thing. Using the well known Dungeon/70E index, it used to cost 5000 for a half hour and now it costs (I think) 7000. That's a rise of 40% since 2004. Using the current exchange rate, you used to be able to get that session for $11.46 and now it is $13.84. In short, the exchange rate is not keeping up with local inflation.

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"The only normal people are those you don't know very well." Joe Ancis

Bilko,

I thought everyone knew that the Banco Central de Costa Rica recently stopped using the Dungeon/70E Index and converted to the Oasis/Paseo Colon Index.

Here is the link to their Servicios Privados Inflation Table. Notice that it corresponds exactly (well, almost exactly) to the changes at mid-range tico MP's.

http://indicadoreseconomicos.bccr.fi.cr/indicadoreseconomicos/Cuadros/frmVerCatCuadro.aspx?idioma=1&CodCuadro=%20397

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It's faster horses, younger women, older whiskey, and more money--Tom T. Hall
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