The sliding peso and its effects on inflation and the cost of living in the Dominican Republic continues to make headlines today. Hoy newspaper reports that the Dominican currency was being sold yesterday for a record RD$43.50 to US$1. Meanwhile, the Central Bank is listing a rate of RD$40.58, which is used by most commercial banks to purchase dollars for resale. Businessman Domingo Espinal Collado said that if the run on the peso is not contained, many more businesses will be forced to close. Sectors say that today the main cause for the peso’s decline is lack of confidence in the authorities. Press reports also point to the small number of authorized foreign exchange agents, which gives way to price fixing. Economist Frederic Emam Zade says that, given the increase in dollar that the tourism and remittance sectors are generating, the peso should stand at no more than RD$30 to US$1.