Mercosur

• Friday, May 28th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil's economy slow to pick up

  Brazil's economy expanded 2,7% during the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2003, cutting three consecutive negative quarters. Compared to the last quarter of 2003 the economy grew 1,6%.

• Friday, May 28th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Magallanes businessmen concerned with freight costs

  The rising price of fuel and freight costs are causing concern among Punta Arenas business community which is highly dependent on long distance transport for supplies.

• Friday, May 28th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean justice blocks Menem extradition.

  Former Argentine President Carlos Menem won a first round in the Chilean courts Thursday as a high-ranking judge threw out one of two requests from Argentina for Menem's extradition to answer to corruption charges.

• Thursday, May 27th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Influenza epidemic in Santiago.

  Chilean Public Health Minister Pedro García confirmed that metropolitan Santiago is suffering from an influenza epidemic and an outbreak of the highly contagious respiratory sincicial virus, VRS.

• Thursday, May 27th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Lula announces China-Mercosur talks.

  Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced that Mercosur and China would begin in the near future talks to reach a free trade agreement.

• Thursday, May 27th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Spanish investors “delighted” with Chile.

  Chilean president Ricardo Lagos on an official visit to Spain said the controversy between Spanish investors and members of his cabinet was over and emphasized it was part of the “rules of the game” in a democracy with open markets.

• Thursday, May 27th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  EU: Mercosur trade proposal “insufficient”.

  The European Commission considered the improved offer for trade liberalization presented by Mercosur this week in Brussels as “insufficient” and not “as ambitious” as the EU would have expected.

• Thursday, May 27th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Complete squid ban in Argentina.

  INIDEP (Argentina's Fisheries Research and Development Institute) has recommended Argentine Fisheries authorities to establish a squid catch ban to the north of parallel 44 South, and a decision is imminent, according to local internet reports from Mar del Plata.

• Wednesday, May 26th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Record unemployment in Brazil

  Unemployment in Brazil during April reached a record 13,1%, the highest since the index was started in October 2001, reports the Brazilian Geography and Statistics Office, IBGE. Unemployment in March was 12,8%.

• Wednesday, May 26th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil admits higher inflation

  The Brazilian government admitted this week that inflation in 2004 will be above the 2004 target of 5,5% According to the latest estimates from the Finance Ministry, the Consumer Price Index will reach 6,37% this year.