Stories for August 2008

Wednesday, August 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
BoE split three ways over August interest rate setting

Bank of England policymakers were split three ways for the second meeting in a row at their interest rate-setting meeting earlier this month. Minutes of the meeting showed seven members of the Bank's nine-strong rate- setting body voted to hold rates at 5%.
Wednesday, August 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
US is Cuba's fifth trading partner in spite of the embargo

United States farm and food exports to Cuba reached 600 million US dollars in 2007, despite the decades old US trade embargo, according to the latest release from the Cuban Statistics Office.
Wednesday, August 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Third Korean ban in a month on Chilean pork exports

South Korea for the third time in less than a month temporarily suspended all imports of Chilean pork following the discovery of excessive dioxin levels in a shipment of eleven tons, reported the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Wednesday, August 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
German legislation limits big stakes from sovereign funds

The German government has approved legislation that would enable it to prevent foreign buyers from taking big stakes in key domestic companies.
Wednesday, August 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Argentina economy “more vigorous than ever” says Minister

Argentine Economy Minister Carlos Fernandez told exporters the country's economy is “more vigorous than ever” and confirmed the current “economic productive model”,' one week after the government began buying back its own bonds to shore up waning investor confidence.
Wednesday, August 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Brazil ratifies tough line on inflation and long term growth

Brazil's reference Selic interest rate will only begin to fall when inflation approaches the 4.5% center-point of the government's annual target, Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega said on Wednesday.
Wednesday, August 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Seven out of ten Argentines disbelieve official inflation index

Seven out of ten Argentines don't believe in the official inflation index from the country's controversial statistics office and trust private estimates, according to a public opinion poll released this week in Buenos Aires.
Wednesday, August 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Spain suffers worst air accident in 25 years: 153 killed

A Spanair MD-82 jetliner broke up and caught fire after skidding off the runway at Madrid's Barajas International airport, killing 153 people in Spain's worst aviation accident in 25 years.
Tuesday, August 19th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
UN backs commercial weaving among Peruvian Indians

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is backing a project in the Andean mountains of Peru to promote the traditional practice of textile weaving as a commercial venture.
Tuesday, August 19th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Argentine farmers resume protests: “time is running out”

Argentine farmers warned “time is running out” and if there are no announcements regarding their claims by the end of the month a new country wide stoppage or another non sale of grains and oilseeds sales is back on the protest agenda.