Stories for December 27th 2007

Thursday, December 27th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Argentine group buys back 15% of YPF with 10% future option

Repsol-YPF CEO Antonio Brufau and Enrique Eskenazi, Chairman of the Petersen Group, signed Wednesday a binding memorandum of agreement for the acquisition by the Argentine business group of 14.9% of YPF capital stock, according to a release from Repsol.
Thursday, December 27th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Titanic struggle for control of global raw materials market

Mining giant Rio Tinto continued to defend itself against an unsolicited offer from larger rival BHP Billiton on Thursday, saying it had greater potential as a standalone company while rumors of possible Chinese offers re-emerged.
Thursday, December 27th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Extradition non viable for Condor Operation suspects from Brazil

Brazilian authorities said they were awaiting notification from Italy on arrest warrants for suspects in the coordinated repression campaign during South America's dictatorship era, but also anticipated that Brazilian citizens could not be extradited for trial abroad.
Thursday, December 27th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Argentine export boom forecasted to reach 55 U$S billion

Boosted by bull-market prices for commodities, record crops and a surge in industrial shipments Argentina's exports in the first eleven months of 2007 equaled the whole of 2006 and for the first time ever crossed the 50 billion US dollars benchmark.
Thursday, December 27th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Chilean sheep farmer banned from selling livestock to the EU

A Tierra del Fuego sheep farmer has been banned by Chilean sanitary authorities from selling lambs and mutton to the European Union for having violated a self regulated sanitary and flock management program, reports Punta Arenas, La Prensa Austral.
Thursday, December 27th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Argentine GDP to expand 7.2% and inflation 11% in 2008

Argentine Central Bank President Martin Redrado announced Wednesday before the Senate that the country's economy will grow 7.2% next year, with inflation averaging between 7 and 11% and exports above 60 billions US dollars.
Thursday, December 27th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
China supports strong Yuan to curb fuel and food prices

China's Yuan has soared against the US dollar in its biggest post-revaluation daily rise after the central bank signaled a shift in its policy. The Chinese central bank encouraged the jump by setting a very strong daily reference rate or mid-point of 7.3079.
Thursday, December 27th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Chile life expectancy increases to 78, says UN report

Chile now ranks 27th worldwide with a life expectancy of 78.3 years, according to a U.N. report on average ages in 177 countries. The figure represents a four-year increase since 2000. Chile has also moved past the United States, which fell to number 29 with an average life expectancy of 77.9.
Thursday, December 27th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Huge oil slick washes ashore north of Comodoro Rivadavia

A huge oil spill has washed to the shore north of Comodoro Rivadavia in Argentine Patagonia, threatening the rich marine life in the area according to reports from the Argentine press.
Thursday, December 27th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Pakistan instability impacts markets; boosts oil and gold

The assassination on Thursday of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has sent stock markets falling and boosted prices for oil and gold. The main index on the New York Stock Exchange fell 192 points or 1.4% while prices of government bonds rose.