Articles
Business intelligence and analysis on Ecuador
WTI Passes USD 86 as Middle East Escalation Reaches Oil Markets
WTI, the reference for Ecuador’s oil market, rose 3.2% to USD 86.07 per barrel at 08:00 Ecuador time on August 31 as geopolitical escalation revived supply and shipping concerns.
Ecuador Census Review Raises a Data-Quality Risk for Local Analysis
An international review requested by INEC says VOPA imputation reached 4.7% to 5%, representing 759,103 people not directly counted, and rose to 10% when incomplete and corrected records were included.
Pachakutik Faces a September Electoral and Registration Test
The TCE is scheduled to hold a September 3 evidence hearing involving CNE allegations about missing financial reports and documents tied to the April 2024 referendum campaign.
Villonaco III Advances With 112.1 MW Capacity and USD 200M-Plus Private Investment
Villonaco III has received 30 of 57 wind-turbine blades for a planned 112.1 MW project between Loja and Catamayo. The concession carries more than USD 200 million in private investment, a 25-year term, and a third-quarter 2027 commercial-operation target.
Ecuador–Peru Trade Rose 33.5% to USD 1.23 Billion in H1 2026
Ecuador–Peru trade reached USD 1.2267 billion in the first half of 2026, up 33.5% year over year. The result combines 40% export growth, 28% import growth, a temporary Colombia displacement effect, and more than 700% growth in Peruvian FDI during the first quarter.
Ecuador’s Credit-Information Reform Opens a New Data Layer for Utility Payments
A resolution effective August 20 allows utility-payment behavior to be considered supplementary credit information, but does not automatically transfer every household record to the bureau. The implementation window runs up to 18 months for the Superintendencia and one year for SEPS.
Ecuador’s Shopping-Center Pipeline Reaches USD 400M and 750,000 Square Meters
At least 10 large shopping-center projects are in development, representing an estimated USD 400 million and more than 750,000 square meters of additional leasable area. The pipeline includes Mall del Alto in Cuenca and projects in Portoviejo, Daule, San Gabriel, and the Valle de Los Chillos.
Ecuador’s USD 42.7M Barge Renewal Suspension Is an Execution Signal
Sercop suspended a six-month renewal process for one Karpowership barge in Guayaquil, leaving a 90-110 MW procurement question open ahead of the dry season.
Lundin Gold’s Fruta del Norte Plan Links Processing, Exploration, and Power
Lundin Gold wants to lift daily processing from 5,500 to 7,000 tonnes within a year while maintaining a production profile near 500,000 ounces and arranging additional power for the mine.
Ecuador’s Updated U.S. Travel Advisory Creates a More Granular Risk Map
Ecuador remains at Level 2 overall, but the updated U.S. advisory separates national exposure from higher-risk provinces, corridors, and city sectors.
El Nino Is Turning Ecuador's Fishing Distance Into a Food-Price Signal
Warmer seas are pushing artisanal fishers farther offshore and raising reported prices for albacore and other species in Santa Elena. The episode shows how climate volatility can move through Ecuador's seafood supply chain.
Ecuador's monthly activity indicator rose 2% in first-half 2026
The central bank's first-half 2026 IMAEc reading, June sector changes and why the measure is not the quarterly GDP release.