The European Central Bank (ECB) left Eurozone interest rates on hold at 4% for the second month in a row. The Thursday decision however also anticipated that the ECB will be hiking rates next September or October
The Chilean Senate ratified this week the first free trade agreement with Japan and next week Chile is scheduled to begin a round of bilateral negotiations with Australia hoping to reach a similar free trade agreement.
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The Bank of England decided Thursday to leave the cost of borrowing at 5.75%. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) had been widely expected to keep rates on hold this month, as it waits to see the impact of the rises so far, but many economists predict rates will go up to 6% later this year.
Argentine Senator and presidential candidate Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner said that in Argentina change is just beginning because the current President Kirchner administration has managed to reinstate the constitutional democratic system.
Bolivian president Evo Morales signed Thursday a decree which further advances his controversial agrarian revolution of expropriation of idle land to distribute among the aboriginal population and which is strongly resisted by business sectors.
Argentina' cabinet chief Alberto Fernandez confirmed Thursday that the coming week Venezuela will again purchase Argentine sovereign bonds for which we Argentines should, and must be fully acknowledged to President Hugo Chavez for the financial help extended.
Faced with the growing turbulence of global financial markets and Senator Cristina Fernandez October 28 presidential bid Argentine President Nestor Kirchner has instructed his advisors to promote domestic consumption and ensure economic expansion, but as of next November fiscal revenue must be higher than expenditure according to reliable political sources in Buenos Aires.
Chilean Episcopal Conference president Monsignor Alejandro Goic who played a leading mediation role in a labor conflict in the copper mines, said that one of the causes for labor strife are low salaries and suggested that the minimum salary should really be converted into an ethical salary.
Latinamerican economies are much better prepared than in the nineties to face financial turbulences, said on Friday Jose Luis Machinea, Executive Secretary for the United National Economic Committee for Latinamerica and the Caribbean, CEPAL.