Stories for 2008

Wednesday, August 6th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
US mortgage defaults climb and house prices keep sinking

Freddie Mac, which offers funding for a huge proportion of United States mortgages, has posted a quarterly loss amid continued problems in the housing market. As mortgage defaults climb and house prices sink, it made a loss of 821 million US dollars in the three months to the end of June, down from a profit of 729 million.
Wednesday, August 6th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Red Cross emblem: Uribe wants full truth from military

The International Red Cross said Wednesday from Geneva that Colombia broke the Geneva Conventions by deliberately using the humanitarian group's emblem during the covert military mission that freed French-Colombian Ingrid Betancourt and other hostages.
Tuesday, August 5th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Spanish gas company incorporates local partner in Argentina

Spanish utility Gas Natural announced Monday in Buenos Aires it had agreed to sell 19.6% of its Argentine subsidiary to a local pharmaceutical group Chemo for 56 million US dollars.
Tuesday, August 5th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Fall in minerals' prices plunges Latam stock markets

Latin American stock markets plunged Monday, led by a slide in Brazilian and Mexican equities as prices for resources sparked a broad sell-off and growing fears about the performance of the US economy.
Tuesday, August 5th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Europe largest bank suffers 28% fall in half year profits

Europe's largest bank HSBC has warned that conditions in financial markets are at their toughest “for several decades” after suffering a 28% fall in half-year profits. HSBC saw profits drop by 3.9 billion to 10.2 billion US dollars in the first six months of the year, as its North American arm made a 2.8 billion loss.
Tuesday, August 5th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
US June inflation hits 0.8%, highest since February 1981

Consumer spending in the United States slowed in June, while inflation in June was the highest since 1981. Inflation-adjusted spending fell 0.2% in June, according to the US Commerce Department.
Tuesday, August 5th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Land reform single major issue for next Paraguayan leader

Land reform stands out as the single biggest issue for Paraguay, a landlocked country of just under 7 million people, where one percent of the population controls 77% of the arable fields.
Tuesday, August 5th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
China says “no need for more aggressive control” of inflation

China policies in support of small and labor intensive enterprises are taking effect and there is “no need for more adjustment measures”, said on Monday a high ranking Chinese member of the Communist party.
Tuesday, August 5th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Brazil and Argentina leaders ratify “strategic alliance”

Argentina and Brazil ratified their “strategic alliance” on Monday during a business seminar opened by Presidents Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and Lula da Silva in Buenos Aires.
Tuesday, August 5th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Uruguay July inflation eases, but above 2008 target

Uruguay's July consumer prices index CPI marked 0.45%, the lowest since last April, accumulating 5.91% in the first seven months of 2008 which, according to analysts makes it difficult to keep to the original Central Bank estimates of 3 to 7% for the twelve months.