Argentina’s Security Ministry decided the intervention of the Border Guards’ Department of Judicial Affairs due to severe deficiencies found in the application of the officers' wage demands, which led to the current situation that on Friday night was beginning its fifth consecutive day of conflict.
Brazilian Foreign minister Antonio Patriota said on Friday that Paraguay could resume membership of Mercosur and Unasur without the need to wait for presidential elections next April 2013 as long as “full compliance with democracy” can be verified.
Brazil’s food giant Marfrig and the second largest in beef provision, is increasing the use of its installed capacity to address the growing domestic demand according to Joao Sampaio, deputy chief Marfrig’s investors relations.
September inflation in Brazil was up 0.57% on higher food prices according to the latest release from the country’s stats office, IBGE. This was the highest rate since last April (0.64%) and the steepest for September since 2003, (0.78%).
The US unemployment rate fell last month to its lowest rate since January 2009, figures from the Department of Labour have shown, surprising analysts who had been expecting a small rise.
Chicago soybean futures edged higher on Friday, building on the last two sessions of gains with support from a revival in US exports and a surprise decline in estimates for Canada's canola crop.
Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles claims that the regime of President Hugo Chavez handed out nine billion dollars to Mercosur members (except for Brazil and Chile) as part of his plan to “export the Bolivarian revolution”.
Argentine Border and Coast Guards members were moving into their fourth day of conflict despite the fact the government of President Cristina Fernandez had deposited their full pay-checks that had been ‘mistakenly’ severely cut, based on Decree 1307. Prospects are that the conflict could extend until Tuesday.
Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has decided at its monthly meeting on Thursday not to introduce any new stimulus measures. It has kept interest rates at their record low of 0.5% and not to raise the amount of quantitative easing (QE) from the current level of £375bn.
The European Central Bank decided on Thursday to keep its main refinancing rate unchanged in a bid to calm markets but the focus really has been on when exactly its bond-buying program will get off the ground.