Stories for December 2009

Thursday, December 10th 2009 - 13:24 UTC
Idle capacity and low inflation allow Brazil to keep basic rate unchanged

Brazil’s central bank kept the benchmark Selic interest rate at a record low for the third straight meeting as inflation remains below target. The bank’s eight-member board, led by President Henrique Meirelles, voted unanimously on Wednesday to keep the overnight rate at 8.75%.
Thursday, December 10th 2009 - 13:10 UTC
Desire Petroleum plans extra well in Falklands and makes £ 20 million share-issue

Desire Petroleum, which is focused on the North Falkland Basin announced Wednesday it is proposing a share issue to raise £20 million to make use of the full potential of its hydrocarbons exploratory drilling season scheduled to begin next February when the “Ocean Guardian” rig arrives.
Thursday, December 10th 2009 - 12:08 UTC
World experts discuss in NZ safety rules for Antarctic tourism cruises

There are fears that a shipping tragedy in the Antarctic is a disaster waiting to happen if the tourism industry is not regulated. A major international meeting of Antarctic Treaty Experts is taking place in New Zealand to discuss the issues.
Thursday, December 10th 2009 - 11:42 UTC
Global food prices on the rise four months running, cautions FAO

Global food prices are on the ascent again with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Food Price Index – a food basket composed of cereals, oilseeds, dairy, meat and sugar – registering four straight monthly rises.
Thursday, December 10th 2009 - 11:40 UTC
Early next year Petrobras begins oil seismic surveying offshore Uruguay

Petrobras begins seismic surveying offshore Uruguay in early 2010 and will keep its level of investments in Argentina as part of the Latinamerica expansion policy of the Brazilian government managed oil and gas corporation.
Thursday, December 10th 2009 - 11:36 UTC
Construction of Stora Enso pulp mill in Uruguay is further delayed

Finaland’s Stora Enso, Europe’s largest paper and forest products’ company said Wednesday that the decision whether to construct a pulp mill in Uruguay could take “well over a year”.
Thursday, December 10th 2009 - 11:31 UTC
Brazilian Senate postpones vote on Venezuela’s Mercosur incorporation

The Brazilian senate postponed on Wednesday until next Tuesday the vote on Venezuela’s incorporation to Mercosur following a heated debate on the floor when the opposition strongly criticized Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.
Thursday, December 10th 2009 - 11:28 UTC
FOGL trying to tempt Chilean companies to join Falklands’ oil exploration

Senior executives from Falkland Oil and Gas Limited (FOGL), which operates in the Falkland Islands, where it just announced the existence of significant oil reserves tempted Chile's State Oil Company (ENAP) into entering the business to help them explore and develop a 49,000 square meter basin in the South Atlantic.
Thursday, December 10th 2009 - 11:26 UTC
Chilean officials and private sector divided over recovery of salmon exports

Chilean officials expect sustained growth from the aquaculture sector with exports reaching 4 billion US dollars by 2015. Currently Chile’s main aquaculture export product is salmon with overseas sales in 2008 of 2.4 billion USD. The private sector however does not share the enthusiasm.
Thursday, December 10th 2009 - 07:53 UTC
Gallup poll shows strong Latinamerican support for Obama: 61%

A recent Gallup poll surveying Latinamerican perceptions of Barack Obama found that the US President’s strongest support comes from Chile, where 72% of those polled have a favourable image of him.