Stories for February 2009

Saturday, February 14th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Lloyds Banking Group pre-tax losses stun UK markets

Shares in UK's Lloyds Banking Group, the company formed after its merger with HBOS, have tumbled after it said HBOS losses would be worse than expected.
Saturday, February 14th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Petrobras overseas investment targets US and Argentina

Brazil's government-managed oil and gas corporation Petrobrás announced Friday its international 2009/2013 investment plan totalling 15.9 billion US dollars, of which 44% has been earmarked for allocation in United States and Argentina.
Saturday, February 14th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
KBR-Halliburton reaches agreement in overseas bribery case

Kellog, Brown & Root, KBR, the engineering, construction, and services company, and its former parent, Halliburton, have agreed to pay a combined 579 million US dollars to settle US criminal and civil allegations that KBR bribed Nigerian government officials to obtain contracts.
Saturday, February 14th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
US stimulus package approved, but it's not bipartisan

US President Barack Obama welcomed on Saturday Congress's approval of his 787 billion US dollars economic stimulus package. He described it as a “historic step” and “major milestone on our road to recovery”, and is expected to sign the bill into law early next week.
Saturday, February 14th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
G7 pledge to work together and warn against protectionism

The Group of Seven industrialized nations meeting in Italy are pledging to work together to revive the global economy, while warning against protectionist measures.
Saturday, February 14th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Venezuela: incident with Spain before crucial referendum

Spain said on Saturday it was preparing an official complaint against Venezuela's decision to deport a member of the European Parliament (MEP) for criticising the Venezuelan electoral commission.
Saturday, February 14th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Chile annoyed with Fidel's “meddling” reflections

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said on Saturday she was annoyed at “meddling” comments by former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who wrote in an article that Chile snatched Bolivia's only sea access in the 19th century.
Friday, February 13th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Venezuela readies to vote controversial indefinite re-election

Venezuelan armed forces started on Friday moving to polling stations in Caracas to guarantee security during the upcoming Sunday referendum that would abolish term limits of elected leaders and could allow President Hugo Chavez to seek re-election indefinitely.
Friday, February 13th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Euro zone industrial production plunges 12% in December

European industrial production dropped the most on record in December, pointing to a deepening economic slump in the fourth quarter. Output in the Euro region fell 12% from the year- earlier month after an 8.4% decline in November, the European Union's statistics office in Luxembourg said on Thursday
Friday, February 13th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Bolivian appeal for aid to combat dengue epidemic

The Bolivian government appealed for international economic aid and fumigation equipments to fight the mosquito transmitted dengue epidemics which broke out at the beginning of the year and already has 17.371 reported cases.