QCOSTARICA – The price of the U.S. dollar is listed below ¢550 in the windows and virtual offices of the commercial banks, both state and private.

The National Bank offers it at ¢547 and the Bank of Costa Rica at ¢548.

A summary report, as reported to the Banco Central (Central Bank), for this Saturday, March 18, indicates a buy rate between ¢532 (Scotiabank) and ¢536 (BAC San Jose), while the sell ranges between ¢547 (BCR and Banco Nacional) and ¢554 (Banco Lafise).

“There are different forces around the downward exchange rate (that is, a greater amount of dollars in the economy), the partial payment of income tax, something seasonal in March, and the eventual placement of Eurobonds,” said Greivin Salazar, economist at the Universidad Nacional (UNA).

the abundance of foreign currency is linked to the growth of exports of goods and services, and tourism, which expects to see 3 million visitors this year.

Representatives of the national productive sector – especially industrialists, agro-exporters and tour operators – implore the Government and legislators to intercede with the Central Bank so that it intervenes in the exchange market with stabilization operations and stops the fall in the price of the dollar exchange.

Businessmen warn that keeping the exchange rate at levels similar to those of 7 years ago already has an impact on employment in the most affected sectors, which could result in layoffs and possible closures of businesses.