Economy

Tuesday, March 8th 2011 - 22:39 UTC
China admits “labour surplus” of 32 million, 14 million of which college graduates

China, normally contrary to releasing unemployment figures, has admitted to having a “labour surplus” of 32 million workers, according to Human Resources and Social Security minister Yin Weimin.
Tuesday, March 8th 2011 - 04:52 UTC
Chile’s Concha y Toro acquires California’s Fetzer Vineyard

Chile’s Concha y Toro, Latin America’s largest wine producer, sealed a deal this week with Brown-Forman’s Fetzer Vineyards in a transaction worth 238 million US dollars to purchase its portfolio of American wine brands. The sale is expected to close in April 2011.
Tuesday, March 8th 2011 - 02:05 UTC
Uruguayan investors purchased 1.1 million hectares in the Paraguayan Chaco

Uruguayan investors have purchased an estimated 1.1 million hectares in the Paraguayan Chaco, (heartland of landlocked Paraguay) in spite of the fact land prices have quadrupled in the last two years. The record year was 2010 with 200.000 hectares.
Tuesday, March 8th 2011 - 02:02 UTC
Falklands’ pristine stacks and bluffs illustrated by Tony Chater in stamps issue

Illustrations of some of the least accessible spots in the Falkland Islands are featured in the third series of “Stacks and Bluffs” postage stamps, released last week by Pobjoy Mint.
Tuesday, March 8th 2011 - 00:04 UTC
Food prices have soared most in Venezuela, Bolivia and Argentina

Venezuela, Bolivia and Argentina are the three Latinamerican countries where food prices have climbed the most during the twelve months of 2010, according to official regional statistics.
Monday, March 7th 2011 - 23:52 UTC
Punta Arenas equally competitive to Ushuaia for the 2012/13 cruise season

Chilean authorities anticipate that for the season 2012/13, Punta Arenas will be in favourable conditions to compete with neighbouring Ushuaia in Argentina. This follows on Chilean initiatives to cut operation costs for cruise vessels dramatically and the lifting of the ban on floating casinos.
Monday, March 7th 2011 - 07:28 UTC
Peru and EU to sign free trade agreement in mid March

Peru and the European Union will be signing the final documents for a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) in mid March, said Peruvian Trade and Tourism Minister Eduardo Ferreyros in Lima.
Monday, March 7th 2011 - 06:46 UTC
Unemployment increased in Chile during Oct-Dec, stands at 7.3%

Unemployment across Chile grew 0.2% in the last quarter (Oct-Dec) to stand at 7.3% nationally. That equates to 22,000 extra people who are without an income from the end of last year.
Monday, March 7th 2011 - 00:30 UTC
Sustaining Latin America’s Transformation

By Nicolás Eyzaguirre (*) Building on recent successes, Latin America now has a chance to raise its profile in the global marketplace. “There is nothing so joyous as a Mexican fiesta, but there is also nothing so sorrowful,” wrote Nobel-Prize-winning poet Octavio Paz, in The Labyrinth of Solitude. “Our fiestas are explosions. Life and death, joy and sorrow, music and mere noise are united.
Saturday, March 5th 2011 - 07:29 UTC
The world’s largest samba party took off in Rio do Janeiro

King Momo” opened the Rio de Janeiro Carnival on Friday at a festive ceremony where he was presented with the keys to the city, which for five days will dance to the beat of the samba to celebrate Brazil’s most iconic festival.