China's economic growth slowed to 9% last year, its lowest rate of growth for seven years (6.8% in the last quarter). The world's third-largest economy was hit hard by the global financial crisis that led to a fall in orders for Chinese exports.
Exxon Mobil Corp., Hess Corp. and Petrobras found evidence of oil at an offshore block in Brazil's Santos Basin in an area close to the largest oil discovery in three decades in the American continent.
United States carmaker General Motors sold fewer vehicles than Toyota last year, ending GM's 77-year reign as the world's top-selling car firm. GM said it sold 8,350,000 vehicles in 2008, while Toyota said sales totalled 8,972,000 vehicles.
Argentina's oil production fell for the seventh consecutive year in 2008, declining 1.8% to 230 million barrels, according to a report from an economic consulting firm cited Wednesday in the Buenos Aires press.
Brazilian government managed energy giant Petrobras produced an average of 2.4 million barrels per day of crude and natural gas at its operations inside and outside Brazil in 2008, an increase of 4.3%, or roughly 100,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, compared to 2007.
More dialogue is what countries are expecting from the administration of President Barack Obama, according to the Organization of American States, OAS, Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza, one of the special guests to the presidential taking office ceremony in Washington.
Venezuela's leader Hugo Chavez called Tuesday on his followers not to have illusions with the new US President Barack Obama and no matter who's in the White House the Bolivarian revolution will continue to advance.
The official newspaper from the ruling Communist party in Cuba, Gramma said on Tuesday that the moment has come to make effective the promises and hopes of change announced by President Barack Obama, although the world crisis and other factors could limit him.
Brazil trusts that the new administration of President Barack Obama will implement a more multilateral foreign policy and will strengthen political dialogue between Washington and Brasilia said Brazilian ambassador in the US Antonio Patriota.
The United States swiftly approved on Tuesday six members of President Barack Obama's Cabinet, but put off for a day the vote on his choice of Hillary Clinton to be Secretary of State following Republican Texas Senator John Comyn objection.