Stories for April 2011

Wednesday, April 13th 2011 - 17:06 UTC
Chile raises basic rate to 4.5%, but more on the pipeline says Capital Economics

The Central Bank of Chile (CBC) hiked interest rates by 50bps to 4.5% on Wednesday but with the near-term outlook for growth very good and inflation likely to top 5% in Q4, further policy tightening is on the way, reports Capital Economics that estimates rates to reach 6% by year-end.
Wednesday, April 13th 2011 - 05:41 UTC
IMF approves Uruguay’s performance but road ahead has many uncertainties

Uruguay’s growth estimate for this year remains at 5% but is forecasted at 4.2% for 2012 with warnings on the economy’s over-heating, significant inflow of capital and inflation, according to the IMF World Economic Outlook released this week. In 2010 the Uruguayan economy expanded 8.5%.
Wednesday, April 13th 2011 - 05:37 UTC
Tail section of Air France plane located on the Atlantic bed 4 km down

The tail section of an Air France plane which crashed over the Atlantic in 2009 has been found on the ocean floor, relatives of those killed have said. Investigators had told them the section was “relatively intact”, they added.
Wednesday, April 13th 2011 - 05:31 UTC
Re-elected governor gives full support to CFK re-election; criticizes Moyano

A recently re-elected Argentine provincial governor gave his full support for the re-election of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, CFK, and asked for “more limits” to be imposed on Hugo Moyano, Argentina’s organized labour chief who attacked the incumbent candidate during the campaign.
Wednesday, April 13th 2011 - 05:28 UTC
Cristina suffers hypotension and suspends all official activities for 24 hours

Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was forced to suspend all of her official activities for the next 24 hours after suffering from low blood pressure in the Olivos presidential residence. She is expected to remain there under observation until Wednesday.
Wednesday, April 13th 2011 - 05:11 UTC
US trade deficit shrank in February but with overall trade falling

The US trade deficit shrank in February as imports fell more than exports, according to a government report that suggested a slowdown in global demand. The monthly trade gap totalled 45.8 billion US dollars, down from an upwardly revised estimate of 47 billion in January.
Wednesday, April 13th 2011 - 05:06 UTC
Arms sales down in Chile but the wealthy guard their homes with guns

The number of gun owners has decreased over the past year in Chile from 5.3% to 4.9%. Yet one economic sector—the wealthiest Chileans from the socioeconomic level ABC1—continue to buy firearms at an escalating rate.
Wednesday, April 13th 2011 - 04:44 UTC
Turkey slams Argentine Judge ruling blaming Ottomans for Armenian genocide

Turkey has slammed an Argentine judge's ruling that it committed genocide against Armenians around the time of World War I. The Turkish Foreign Affairs Ministry said the ruling was an example of how legal systems are abused by extreme nationalists belonging to the Armenian Diaspora.
Wednesday, April 13th 2011 - 04:42 UTC
Chinook chopper losses in Scotland and Falklands cast doubt on their safety

UK Defence chiefs cast doubt over the safety of Chinook helicopters two years before 29 people were killed in the crash off the coast of Scotland. A previous incident in the Falkland Islands dating back to 1987 with the loss of another Chinook was also included in the investigation.
Wednesday, April 13th 2011 - 04:30 UTC
China and Brazil agree to further expand their strategic partnership

China and Brazil on Tuesday clinched a host of government agreements and economic deals in Beijing to enhance their strategic partnership as Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff paid her first state visit to China.