Employment and Labor
According to preliminary Tasa de Desocupación Abierta (open unemployment rate) figures, Mexico’s unemployment rate was 3.3% as of June 30, 2022, a 0.4 percentage point increase from the rate as of March 31, 2022. As of June 30, 2022, the economically active population in Mexico fifteen years of age and older was 59.8 million. As of August 5, 2022, the minimum wages were Ps. 260.34 per day for municipalities in the Zona Libre de la Frontera Norte (Northern Border Free Trade Zone) and Ps. 172.87 per day for the rest of Mexico, an increase of 22%, respectively, from the applicable minimum wages in effect from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021. For additional information on Mexico’s minimum wage policy, see “The Economy—Employment and Labor” in the 2021 Form 18-K.
Principal Sectors of the Economy
Petroleum and Petrochemicals
On May 31, 2022, Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) launched an invoice refinancing liability management transaction for approximately U.S.$2.0 billion under which certain suppliers and contractors were given the opportunity to exchange outstanding invoices due from PEMEX and its productive subsidiaries for global 8.750% notes due 2029 issued by PEMEX. In addition, the suppliers and contractors participating in the transaction were given the opportunity to participate in a remarketing process pursuant to which the notes were offered to the market through a Rule 144A/Regulation S offering. Through July 31, 2022, approximately U.S.$1.8 billion principal amount of the notes were sold to the market in the remarketing process, and the balance of the notes remains held by the suppliers and contractors.
On July 1, 2022, the Secretaría de Energía (Ministry of Energy) opened the Olmeca refinery in Dos Bocas, Veracruz, for test work, with the site expected to process 340,000 barrels of crude oil per day, producing 170,000 barrels of gasoline per day and 120,000 barrels of low-sulfur diesel per day.
Electric Power
On June 9, 2022, the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (Federal Electricity Commission, or CFE) carried out its first liability management transaction in the international market. CFE purchased U.S.$1.2 billion principal amount of its outstanding notes of six series with maturities ranging from 2024 to 2051 pursuant to an offer to purchase dated May 19, 2022. The transaction allowed CFE to reduce its short-term refinancing risk, achieve savings and reduce its foreign currency denominated debt balance.
On July 1, 2022, CFE entered into participation agreements with TC Energía and NewFortress Energy Corporation, with the goal of strengthening Mexico’s energy security and improving Mexico’s commercial relationship with the North American private energy sector. The agreement with TC Energía will improve and expand infrastructure for the transportation of natural gas to central and southeast Mexico. The agreement with NewFortress Energy will allow CFE to partner in natural gas liquefaction projects and use infrastructure to export natural gas to international markets for a period of 12 months.
Tourism
On June 12, 2022, the Secretaría de Turismo (Ministry of Tourism, or SECTUR) reported that foreign exchange income arising from international tourism was U.S.$8.7 billion during the first quarter of 2022, a 123.8% and 3.7% increase with respect to the same periods in 2021 and 2019, respectively.
Transportation and Communications
Railways
On June 6, 2022, the Secretaría de Infraestructura, Comunicaciones y Transportes (Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation) and the government of Mexico City entered into an amendment to their coordination agreement that reallocated funds toward a section of the Tren Interurbano de Pasajeros Toluca-Valle de Mexico (Interurban Train) which amendment increased the amount of funds reallocated by Ps. 350 million, from Ps. 950 million to Ps. 1.3 billion.
On July 19, 2022, the Government published a resolution granting the Fondo Nacional de Infraestructura (National Infrastructure Fund) a concession to operate and provide rail transport passenger services on the Mexico-Toluca interurban train railway.
FINANCIAL SYSTEM
Monetary Policy, Inflation and Interest Rates
Money Supply and Savings
The following table shows Mexico’s M1 and M4 money supply aggregates at each of the dates indicated. The methodology for the calculation of Mexico’s M1 and M4 money supply is discussed in “Financial System—Monetary Policy, Inflation and Interest Rates—Money Supply and Savings” in the 2021 Form 18-K.
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