Stories for May 6th 2011
Brazil’s inflation peaks in April, but prices should begin slowing down in May
Brazil’s benchmark consumer price index in April exceeded the upper limit of the government’s target range for the first time since 2005 but officials are confident April was a peak and during May the tendency is for inflation to decelerate.
EU farmers insist with the “catastrophic impact” of trade agreement with Mercosur
European farm leaders have left Members of the European Parliament in no doubt about the ‘catastrophic impact’ on EU agriculture of a trade agreement with Mercosur, reports the Friday edition of the UK’s Farmers Guardian.
Brazilian automobile industry, still strong, begins to feel the tight money pinch
Automobile production in Brazil fell 4.9% and sales dropped 5.5% in April from March, the national automakers' association said on Friday.
Top US grain processors join the ‘bio-fuel refineries rush’ in Brazil
Cargill Inc and the world’s largest grain processor Archer-Daniels-Midland Co, are planning to invest about 560 million US dollars in new bio-fuel refineries in Brazil.
US payrolls expanded in April, but jobless rate climbed to 9%
United States employers in April added more jobs than forecast. Payrolls expanded by 244,000 last month, the biggest gain since May 2010, after a revised 221,000 increase the prior month, the Labour Department said Friday in Washington.
Falklands’ oil companies contract more sophisticated exploration rig
Borders and Southern Petroleum PLC licensed for oil exploration in the Falkland Islands announced Friday the signing of a new rig contract with Ocean Rig under which the Eirik Raude has been replaced by the Leiv Eiriksson.
FDI in Uruguay has soared in last five years and reached 1.6 billion USD in 2010
Foreign direct investment, FDI, in Uruguay during 2010 reached 1.627 billion US dollars which represents a 29% increase over 2009 and puts the country among the top six FDI recipients in South America and eighth in the region, according to the latest report from the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, ECLAC.
Malvinas events overshadowed by Royal Wedding, complains Argentine minister
Argentine Defence Secretary Arturo Puricelli said he was disappointed with the “excessive coverage” granted by the Argentine media to the Royal Wedding and regretted so little attention was given to the commemoration of Malvinas conflict events.
Chile launches campaign to promote domestic tourism
Sernatur, Chile’s National Tourism Office, has officially launched the second part of its “Chile es Tuyo” (Chile is Yours) campaign to encourage domestic tourism. The project, which is overseen by Secretary of Tourism Jacqueline Plass, and Sernatur’s National Director Alvaro Castilla, is especially hoped to encourage tourism during the country’s off-season, which runs from March until November.
Brazil’s high court unanimously recognizes rights of same-sex couples
Brazil's Supreme Court ruled unanimously Thursday that the nation should recognize same-sex unions. The court voted 10-0 in favor of recognizing the unions. One justice abstained because he had spoken publicly in favor of same-sex unions when he was attorney general.
