A surprise rate cut by the European Central Bank sent Euro zone shares to a five-year high on Thursday as traders bet a weaker Euro and easier lending conditions would help revive the region's economy and boost demand for stocks.
Mercosur negotiations, disputes with Argentina and economic complementation with Brazil are among the main issues of a long agenda that Uruguay and Brazil will address when President Jose Mujica visits his Brazilian peer Dilma Rousseff on Friday in Brasilia.
“We are encouraged to see the natural progression of the Falklands tourist board on a path to worldwide recognition”, said Managing Director Tony Mason who announced plans for the establishment of an Islands' tourist board branch in London.
Argentina's ambassador to South Africa, Carlos Sersale di Cerisano, has criticized South African Airways’ (SAA’s) move to end its service to Buenos Aires as a political decision not based on commercial criteria. SAA spokesman Tlali Tlali said the airline was cutting long-haul routes from its network as part of a turnaround strategy to restore profitability. Cutting the route between Argentina and South Africa had to be seen in that context.
The United States Department of Treasury says it is taking steps to curtail offshore tax evasion in the Caribbean and other places. The US Treasury Department along with the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have issued a notice for foreign financial institutions (FFIs) to comply with information reporting and withholding tax provisions of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).
Brazil's consumer watchdog Procon Rio do Janeiro branch has ordered five airlines to reduce abusive domestic fares during next year's FIFA World Cup. Avianca, TAM, Gol, Azul and Oceanair have been accused of inflating prices up to 10-fold during the June 12-July 13 tournament.
Uruguay's consumer prices' index increased 0.82% in October, and 8.67% in the last twelve months but 9.09% in the first ten months of the year, according to the latest release from the country's Stats Office, INE.
The Falkland Islands Government has announced that an updated version of the FIG Oil Readiness Checklist is now available online. The checklist refers to key areas from the FIG ongoing program for the development of the hydrocarbons industry as it grows into a production phase.
Argentina's clash with Uruguay over the Botnia/UPM pulp mill has led to furious retaliations from Buenos Aires severely limiting trade and not allowing Argentine exporters to make use of the port of Montevideo for transshipment.
The administration of President Cristina Fernandez is preparing a package of measures in an attempt to further impede the outflow of hard currency, mainly US dollars, for which it is planning to establish a double exchange rate system. The measures target tourism, a bill of 8 billion dollars which has become dearer than the energy deficit.