Economy & Business - August 2026

On 20 July, Ecuador raised its warning level for conditions associated with the El Niño weather phenomenon from yellow to orange, following a period of four weeks of study by Erfen, a national committee that monitors Pacific Ocean temperatures and other indicators. Although there is no exact timescale, El Niño is expected to arrive in earnest in around November and last until approximately March, bringing risks including heavy rains, flash flooding, and changes to the behaviour of fish and birds. President Daniel Noboa’s government has allocated a budget of US$600m to mitigate these impacts.