Decline in oil: a contagion through Latin America’s related sectors

Latin America’s beleaguered oil and gas industry bears the brunt of the recent dramatic collapse in oil prices. Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela—each a significant oil & gas producer—all have taken hits. But it’s not just a potential recession or the effects on the region’s GDP that are causing concern.

At a glance

• The crash in the oil prices affected Latin America’s players in varying but equally damaging ways.
• As the market returns to a steady-state economy, albeit at weaker levels, there appears to be a settling of lower commodity prices.
• So what can companies do? They can accept the new status quo and start looking for ways to make their operations as efficient and cost-effective as possible.