Economy

• Sunday, February 10th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  US dollar continues free fall against Latam currencies

  

  With the exception of Venezuela and Argentina that have government administered exchange rates, in the rest of the main Latinamerican money markets the depreciation of the US dollar continues with no end in the short term according to the latest data.

• Sunday, February 10th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil's industrial output in 2007 second best of decade

  

  Industrial output in Brazil grew last year at its fastest pace since 2004, jumping 6% boosted by domestic demand according to official data. The surge in industrial activity was broad, driven by a sharp increase in the availability of credit allowing Brazilian consumers to buy more cars and home appliances.

• Saturday, February 9th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentina's inflation controversy expands; IMF rebutted

  

  Argentina's controversial Statistics and Census institute, Indec, further fueled dispute over the accuracy of official data when it announced that the January consumer price index, CPI, rose 0.9%, the same percentage as November and December and well below reliable private estimates of 2%.

• Friday, February 8th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Fed offensive exposes cut-rates/inflation balance dilemma

  United States central bank officials came out in what seems a concerted offensive to inject optimism and downplay fears of a full fledged US recession as negative data on the economy keeps piling and a discouraging factor feeling extends.

• Friday, February 8th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  US stimulus package passed but political system at its lowest

  United States President George Bush announced on Friday that the will sign a 168 billion US dollars economic stimulus package approved by the Senate that he said is needed to help boost the slowing economy. The announcement came as an AP-Ipso public opinion poll revealed an all time low support for President Bush and the US Congress.

• Thursday, February 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  IMF asks Argentina about inflation data reliability

  

  The International Monetary Fund has asked Argentina's statistics office INDEC to clarify some methodology changes it introduced last year, echoing concerns among economists, statisticians --and public opinion-- over the reliability of the country's inflation data, reported the Buenos Aires press

• Thursday, February 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  UK cuts rate to 5.25% but warns on inflation and slowdown

  

  The Bank of England cut interest rates 0.25 percentage points to 5.25% amid signs that the UK economy is slowing down. Fears over rising prices and balancing growth and inflation made the Thursday cut relatively soft.

• Thursday, February 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil opens wheat market to ensure domestic supply

  

  Brazil has decided to temporarily lift the tariff on imported wheat from outside Mercosur trade bloc, following a request made by mills, a spokesperson at Brazil's Foreign Trade Chamber (Camex) said this week.

• Thursday, February 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Euro zone leaves rates unchanged at 4%; inflation priority

  Fearing the risks to price stability over the medium term even when the economic fundamentals of the Euro area are sound, the European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council kept this Thursday interest rates unchanged at 4%.

• Wednesday, February 6th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  US dollar no longer king of currencies, not even in NY

  

  In the latest example that the U.S. dollar is not what it used to be some shops in New York City have begun accepting Euros and other foreign currencies as payment for merchandise.