On November 19 and 20, we will organize at the Madrid Stock Exchange Palace the twenty-sixth edition of the Latibex Forum, which will once again bring together Spanish and European investors with Latin American and Spanish listed companies with interests in the region. . In addition, we will organize different discussion panels on current issues such as the macroeconomic situation in the region, investment opportunities, technology or renewable energies.. One of the central issues that we will address this year at the Forum is the growth of Latin American investments in Spain and how the Stock Exchange can help channel them.
We are used to talking about the significant investments of Spanish companies in Latin America, which undoubtedly remain at a high level, but in recent years there has been a real boom in investments on the other side of the Atlantic , coming from the countries with which they do it. many links unite us with Spain. This is a very significant movement in which financial markets have a lot to say.
Any resident of cities like Madrid can see for themselves the growing real estate investment of Latin Americans in many areas of the capital, but this movement is not limited to this sector. More and more Latin American companies from all sectors of activity are choosing Spain as a center of operations from which to begin their international expansion. Spain constitutes the natural bridge between Latin America and Europe, which increasingly confirms the activity of companies in this part of the world.
According to the ICEX Global LATAM 2024 report, Latin America is the fourth largest investor in Spain, with 66.883 million euros, just behind the United States, the United Kingdom and France, and even ahead of its European partners like the Germany or Italy. In the last decade alone, this investment has increased by 20 billion euros. The increase in Latin American investments in our country was 138% last year, when Mexico became the fifth investor in Spain.
This report also indicates that Spain is the second preferred destination for Latin American companies for their international establishment, behind the United States. Traditionally established Ibero-American companies like Bimbo, Alsea (VIPS) or Alfa (Campofrío) have now been joined by many others in sectors like food, chemicals, digitalization or construction. Some panelists of this Latibex Forum have been recent protagonists, such as the Colombian Grupo Trinity (Clarel) or the Chilean Fracttal or Movizon.
The role of markets
Financial markets, whose main objective is to connect companies and investors, must play a relevant role in this movement. Because they constitute the best platform for channeling investment flows. For companies planning to expand internationally and attract new investors, there is nothing better than going public to gain reputation, visibility and access to recurring financing.
On the investor side, the possibility of diversifying their portfolio with listed Latin American companies with growing interests in Europe constitutes an additional advantage. Because, in the same way as investing in large Spanish listed companies, you also invest in Latin America, due to their activity in this part of the world, increasingly, choosing to invest in Latin companies American also involves supporting these companies in their international efforts. expansion, with Spain as a starting point in many cases.
In this context, BME markets, within SIX, can be another actor to channel these investments. Latibex allows European investors to contract in euros the shares of twenty large Latin American companies in a single operational trading and settlement system. BME Growth and BME Scaleup, meanwhile, are home to innovative, high-growth companies and are ideal destinations for mid-sized companies and Latin American startups looking to expand into Europe.
If we know anything about financial markets, it is the channeling of investment flows. Latin America, which has been and continues to be for many years a destination for European investments, is now also a key investor on our continent, with Spain occupying a privileged position. This is an exciting trend that we need to follow closely and in which the stock market can play a leading role.
