Latin America's trade with China surges but US dominance holds, IDB finds

By Sarah Morland

MEXICO CITY, June 16 (Reuters) - China was the fastest-growing purchaser of Latin American and Caribbean goods successful the archetypal 3 months of 2026, a study ‌by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) showed connected Tuesday, but the U.S. remained the region's ‌top market.

The U.S. dominance was driven by its commercialized ties to Mexico and Central America, whereas China leads successful ​much of South America, the study found.

The worth of Latin American exports to China surged 25% successful the archetypal 3 months of 2026 compared with the aforesaid play past year, the study found, portion those to the remainder of Asia roseate 24%, the European Union 19%, and the U.S. 14%.

"The ‌United States contributed astir to the ⁠total summation successful Latin American and Caribbean exports, whilst China and the remainder of Asia showed the top dynamism," the IDB said.

Shipments from China to ⁠the portion surged 29% portion U.S. exports roseate a much mean 4%, nevertheless lifting the U.S. stock of the region's imports to a grounds adjacent 22%, portion China's edged down somewhat to 9.6%.

Overall, exports ​from Latin ​America grew astir 16% successful the archetypal 3 ​months of 2026 compared to the aforesaid ‌period of 2025, treble the 8% yearly maturation registered passim 2025, arsenic volumes and prices roseate for cardinal goods produced successful the region.

The terms of golden - a safe-haven plus investors usage to support wealthiness successful times of volatility - soared 64% successful January to April. Copper, oil, soybean and robust ore prices roseate to a lesser extent, portion java and sweetener prices fell much than ‌20%.

The U.S.-Israeli warfare with Iran sent substance prices soaring, ​in a large deed for import-dependent nations. Even lipid ​exporters whose treasuries benefited from higher prices ​were deed by an associated summation successful fertilizer and freight costs.

In Venezuela, ‌total exports fell 8.7% successful the archetypal ​three months of 2026, the ​report found, adjacent arsenic its U.S. exports edged up somewhat aft the U.S. captured President Nicolas Maduro astatine the commencement of the twelvemonth and imposed important oversight implicit the ​OPEC nation's crude sector.

"Instability successful ‌global commercialized policies and the proliferation of geopolitical conflicts are creating a precocious grade ​of uncertainty," the IDB said, adding this presented "both risks and opportunities for the ​region."

(Reporting by Sarah Morland; Editing by Jamie Freed)