Argentina's trade surplus shrank by 40% in July from a year earlier as surging fuel and auto imports increased pressure on President Cristina Fernandez government's system of currency controls. However the unemployment rate in the second quarter fell to 7.2% according to official data.
YPF, the energy company in which Argentina holds a majority stake said its next shale oil and gas partnership will be with a group including China’s Cnooc. A deal is expected to be signed sometime next month.
The mayor of Rio de Janeiro has said it is a shame his city will be hosting the Olympic Games in 2016 because Brazil lacks a sports policy. Eduardo Paes said that his city should not pay for high performance athletes.
The US Federal Reserve members appear to agree on slowing bond purchases by the end of this year if the US economy continues to improve, but remains divided over the exact timing of the move. That's the message from the minutes of the Fed's July 30-31 meeting released Wednesday.