Stories for April 2008

Wednesday, April 30th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
US households spending grows the slowest since 2001

The United States economy expanded at an annual rate of 0.6% in the first quarter of 2008, exceeding analyst expectations of an annualized growth rate of 0.2%.
Tuesday, April 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Chavez threatens to expropriate Argentine company

President Hugo Chávez threatened to expropriate Venezuela's largest steel maker, which is owned by an Argentine group, due to what he said are the soon-to-be-nationalized company's excessive compensation demands.
Tuesday, April 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Colombian president said his gov. doesn't buy consciences

Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said on Monday that his government “doesn't buy consciences”. Uribe was responding to reporters' questions about a scandal involving a former Congresswoman Yidis Medina who claims that in return for political favors she voted for a measure in 2004 that enabled the president's reelection.
Tuesday, April 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Herculean challenge ahead for Brazilian petroleum industry

Brazil's plan to become one of the world's biggest oil exporters hinges on exploiting crude 6 miles below the ocean surface in deposits so hot they can melt the metal used to carry uranium to nuclear plants, reports Bloomberg.
Tuesday, April 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Argentine farmers' conflict: extension of deadline considered

Argentine farmers and government representatives met late Monday in an undisclosed location and no information was available as to the terms and agenda of the much expected encounter with the new Economy minister Carlos Fernandez, but a new atmosphere seems to prevail.
Tuesday, April 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
EU expects slowdown and higher inflation in 2008/09

The marked slowdown in global activity, United States on the brink of recession and persisting financial turmoil are expected to have an impact on the European Union in the next 24 months with slower economic growth and higher inflation.
Tuesday, April 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
IMF approves by wide margin vote and quota reforms

The IMF Board of Governors adopted by wide margin far-reaching reforms to increase the voting shares of a majority of the 185 member countries particularly the large emerging economies.
Tuesday, April 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
UN-World Bank task force to tackle global food crisis

The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is setting up a task force to tackle the global food crisis. Ban Ki-moon said the world faced “widespread hunger, malnutrition and social unrest on an unprecedented scale” because of soaring food prices
Tuesday, April 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Chile on the intellectual property “priority watch list”

For the second year in a row, Chile was placed on the intellectual property “priority watch list” released Friday in the US Trade Representative (USTR) annual “Special 301” report, which looks at intellectual property protection by US trading partners.
Tuesday, April 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Brazil's Vale and ArcelorMittal reach mega iron ore deal

Brazilian mining giant Companhia Vale do Rio Doce announced this week it agreed to supply 480 million tons of iron ore and pellets to ArcelorMittal the world's largest steel maker.