Brazil's government managed oil corporation Petrobras and Shell have signed a liquefied natural gas (LNG) firm supply agreement to furnish the Pecém (Ceará) and Baía de Guanabara (Rio de Janeiro) re-gasification terminals.
Oil prices which reached 110.20 US dollars a barrel and the Euro which hit a new record high of 1.55 US dollars seem to have reduced the central banks concerted effort to a mere one day good intention.
Brazil levied a new tax on foreign capital and announced tax breaks for exporters Wednesday in an effort to slow the Brazilian Real's gains against the US dollar which has appreciated 62% against the greenback in three years.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency announced this week it was tightening the amount of smog-forming ozone that will be allowed, declaring that the air in hundreds of U.S. counties is too dirty to breathe. But the new lower level, 75 parts per billion (from 80 parts per billion), still is significantly higher than what the agency's scientific advisers had urged.
Brazil's economy expanded a greater-than-expected 6.2% in the fourth quarter, the fastest year-on-year quarterly expansion since June 2004, helping the overall 2007 expansion to reach 5.4%, boosted by consumer spending and business investment.
The Chile Foreign Investment Committee (FIC) reported Wednesday that foreign investment in Chile almost doubled to 15 billion US dollars in 2007. Meanwhile, foreign direct investment (FDI) grew almost 94%, compared to 2006.
London was voted the best European city to visit by international travelers in a TripAdvisor survey, despite also being voted the most expensive and dirtiest. In a poll of 1,100 travelers worldwide, London retained its place as the number one city in Europe for nightlife and was also voted the best in Europe for public parks.
Argentina's GDP expanded 8.7% in 2007, after having grown 9.1% in the fourth quarter, up 1.9% from the previous quarter announced Thursday in Buenos Aires the country's Statistics and Census Office, Indec.
Brazil and Spain have agreed to a truce on migration controls following a stand off between both countries regarding Brazilian and Spanish tourists.
United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Brazil on Thursday for a two-day visit to South America which also includes Chile but leaves out Argentina in spite of the fact President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner in her inaugural December speech promised to improve relations with Washington.