Brazilian beef exports netted 443 million US dollars in May, a new monthly record high according to the Brazilian Beef Industry and Exporters Association (Abiec). Shipments totaled 266.000 tons, up 28.6% over May 2006.
At the beginning of June Brazil lowered its key interest rate, Selic, to 12% a year, the lowest ever and the 16th consecutive reduction since September 2005. But still when inflation is taken into account, Brazil's benchmark real interest rate is 8.3%, the highest in the world followed by Turkey with 7.6%.
Growing natural gas supply cuts to Chile because of the Argentine energy crisis have caused the Chilean economy a half point GDP loss in 2006 and so far this year losses equivalent to 307 million US dollars to the manufacturing industry.
Brazil is revving up for an economic takeoff that could rival China and India according to Martin Weiss author of the New York investment newsletter Money and Markets who praised president Lula da Silva for having built the foundation for the launching pad.
The European Union decided this week to lower export subsidies for all dairy produce to zero, a decision which has been hailed by Mercosur member countries since Argentina and Uruguay are two important exports of milk, cheese and by products.
A study by MasterCard published this week ranked Santiago de Chile as the best place in Latin America for doing business.
A budget row dominated the final day of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) forum held in The Hague, reports the BBC. Member states approved a cut in real terms in CITES' budget, which could compromise attempts to control the illegal wildlife trade.
Brazilian scientists claim to have established as a scientific fact that the Amazon is the longest river in the world. The Amazon is recognized as the world's largest river by volume, but has generally been regarded as second in length to the River Nile in Egypt.
The United Nations health agency announced the landmark entry into force this week of a set of regulations aimed at making the world more secure from threats to global health, while minimizing disruption to travel, trade and economies.
Dozens of military aircraft flew over Buckingham Palace and thousands of veterans marched down the Mall in London on Sunday to mark the 25th anniversary of the end of the Falklands War between Britain and Argentina.