The economy of Costa Rica is very stable, and depends essentially on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports.

But the story for Asia's electronics exports is compelling.

Leading the decline was a 6.2 percent drop in electronics exports, and in particular a 30 percent decrease in shipments of personal computers.

All this has persuaded the more farsighted of Southeast Asia's leaders that the region's days as mostly a platform for electronics exports may be numbered.

The market barely reacted, for instance, to the strengthening of the yen in the last month, which threatens to hurt Japan's important automobile and electronics exports.

The country's planners have been luring drug companies to base production and research here to offset the country's traditional dependence on electronics exports.

The government said it would spend $23 billion in the third quarter on public works to compensate for falling electronics exports.

Telecom and computer equipment from Guadalajara accounts for about a quarter of Mexico's electronics exports.

A recovery in electronics exports is translating into booming air cargo from Singapore.

Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports.