The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee unanimously decided Wednesday January 28 to keep its target for the federal funds rate at 1%, the lowest since 1958
The International Monetary Fund, IMF, approved this Wednesday the disbursement of 358 million US dollars from a 13,3 billion US dollars stand by credit line agreed last September with Argentina.
Headlines:
APEC tourism summit in Punta Arenas; Maya V” crew mostly Chilean; Cattle Show in Magallanes.
United States will have a new record budget deficit in 2004, estimated by the non partisan Congressional Budget Office, CBO, in 477 billion US dollars, equivalent to 4,2% of GDP, which could expand if greater health spending and tax cuts are approved.
China's GDP expanded an incredible 9,1% last year reaching 1,4 trillion US dollars according to the National Statistics Institute in Beijing.
Argentina has a great chance to begin a path of solid growth, but a strong reduction in the country's debt is needed, a three quarters cut is essential, and a better relationship with creditors, according to Martin Wolf one of the Financial Times main columnist, former senior economist in the World Bank and Economics graduate from Oxford.
Chilean Foreign Secretary María Soledad Alvear in a touching meeting today bestowed the former Superman actor Christopher Reeve with the Grand Cross of the Bernardo O'Higgins Order for his actions in favour of human rights.
Argentine president Nestor Kirchner stripped a French owned company of its operating licence in the radio spectrum, the most aggressive action against a foreign investor in Argentina. The decision was announced hours before Mr. Kirchner's official state visit to Spain where he expects to face claims from Spanish investors regarding privatized public utility companies.
The captain of the Uruguayan flagged longliner Maya V apprehended last Saturday January 24 for allegedly illegally fishing in Australian waters denies any wrongdoing and insists the Australian frigate boarding party was invited onboard to check because we have nothing to hide in the vessel.
Headlines:
Compulsory labelling for Spanish fishing industry; Vigo proposes EU quota transfer system and unified fleet.