Stories for January 2nd 2012

Monday, January 2nd 2012 - 22:18 UTC
Mujica: good relations with everybody, but Argentina and Brazil are crucial

Uruguayan president Jose Mujica said he promotes good relations with the entire world but he is well aware of the significance of neighbouring Argentina for the Uruguayan economy and that “we must jump into the stirrup of Brazil”.
Monday, January 2nd 2012 - 21:59 UTC
Spanish government confirms Euro zone fourth largest economy is in recession

Spain’s economy is forecasted to contract in the first quarter of 2012 after shrinking in the previous six months admitted Economy Minister Luis de Guindos confirming analysts’ expectations that the Euro zone fourth largest economy is already in recession.
Monday, January 2nd 2012 - 21:56 UTC
Chinese New Year helps spur manufacturers’ optimism

China has seen an improvement in a key measure of manufacturing, boosting optimism that steady economic growth will continue into 2012. The purchasing managers' index rose to 50.3 in December from 49 in November, the statistical office said. A reading of more than 50 shows expansion.
Monday, January 2nd 2012 - 21:48 UTC
Merkel and Sarkozy prepare for yet another round of Euro-rescue talks

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicholas Sarkozy have said they will meet next week to discuss the Euro zone debt crisis. Their first meeting of 2012 comes after all EU countries except the UK agreed to work together on a new treaty to stabilise the Euro zone.
Monday, January 2nd 2012 - 21:44 UTC
Venezuelan economy expands 4% in 2010 and inflation reaches 27.6%

Inflation in Venezuela during last year reached 27.6%, which is 0.7 percentage points more than in 2010, according to a preliminary report from Venezuela’s central bank. President Nelson Merentes said that the consumer prices index “was associated to the upwards pressure generated on wholesale prices by a greater dynamism from domestic aggregate demand”.
Monday, January 2nd 2012 - 21:01 UTC
Peru’s fish meal anchovy finds a new successful outlet in the burger market

Peruvians now have a choice of good food thanks to a hamburger produced by TASA that is made with anchovy pulp: Omegaburger Kontiki, innovative product rich in protein, minerals, vitamins and Omega 3 fatty acids.
Monday, January 2nd 2012 - 20:51 UTC
Cristina Fernandez confirms full support for new governor of Rio Negro

A senior lawmaker from the ruling coalition of Argentine President Cristina Kirchner said that the Peronist party in the province of Rio Negro “would stand by” Vice-Governor Alberto Weretilneck, scheduled to take office as provincial governor on Tuesday due to the death of former governor Carlos Soria.
Monday, January 2nd 2012 - 20:39 UTC
Fears of another foot and mouth disease outbreak in Paraguay

Paraguay’ Livestock Sanitary Office has confirmed the isolation of a cattle farm in the north of the country where an apparent outbreak of foot and mouth disease has been reported. The farm is approximately 35 kilometres from the outbreak reported last September.
Monday, January 2nd 2012 - 06:45 UTC
The most spectacular New Year parties in Brazil, says World Travel Guide

Rain on the last night of 2011 but which stopped a few minutes before 24 tons of fireworks were set off didn’t stop 2 million people from attending Rio de Janeiro’s main New Year’s festival, an event that was confirmed to be the largest of its kind in the world.
Monday, January 2nd 2012 - 06:41 UTC
Brazil’s Bovespa index declined 18.1% in 2011 closing at 56.754 points

In spite of a slight gain in the last trading day of 2011 the Brazilian stocks benchmark index experienced an 18.1% decline in the twelve months on concerns that Europe's debt troubles could lead to another global recession.