Economy of Mexico banks”, bonded warehouses, bonding companies and foreign-exchange firms. A wave of acquisitions has left Mexico's financial sector in foreign hands. Their foreign-run affiliates compete with independent financial firms operating as commercial banks, brokerage and securities houses, insurance companies, retirement-fund administrators, mutual funds, and leasing companies. Mexico has a single securities market, the Mexican Stock Exchange (Bolsa Mexicana de Valores, known as the Bolsa). The market has grown steadily, with its main indices increasing by more than 600% in the last decade. It is Latin America's second largest exchange, after Brazil's. The total value of the domestic market capitalization of the
Dioscorea mexicana caudex, bear heart-shaped leaves. "Dioscorea mexicana" ranges from the state of San Luis Potosí in northeastern Mexico south to Panama. It is notable for its production of diosgenin, which is a precursor for the synthesis of hormones such as progesterone. Russell Marker developed the extraction and manufacture of hormones from "D. mexicana" at Syntex. Later the Mexican barbasco trade focused instead on "Dioscorea composita" instead, as this variety has a higher diosgenin content. Dioscorea mexicana Dioscorea mexicana, Mexican yam or cabeza de negro is a species of yam in the genus "Dioscorea". "Dioscorea mexicana" is a caudiciform dioscorea having either