China's manufacturing activity missed expectations in August, indicating that the country's economy may be losing momentum and require more stimulus. The official purchasing managers index (PMI) fell to 51.1 for the first time in seven months from 51.7 in July, the National Bureau of Statistics said.
The European Commission opened Private Storage Aid for butter, Skimmed Milk Powder (SMP) and certain cheeses in order to alleviate the impact of Russian restrictions on imports of EU dairy products and to limit the negative effects on the internal market.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expressed confidence in its leader Christine Lagarde, despite her being investigated for negligence in France. Ms Lagarde, 58, has been questioned about her role in awarding compensation to businessman Bernard Tapie in 2008, when she was Minister of Finance.
Presidential candidate Marina Silva has widened her lead over President Dilma Rousseff to 10 percentage points in what could be a likely runoff in Brazil's October election, a survey by polling firm Datafolha showed on Friday.
Two Australian farmers from Tasmania have found what they hope to prove is the world's woolliest sheep. Peter Hazell said he had no trouble capturing the animal, which was wandering with its vision obscured by wool in scrubland on his property in Tasmania's Midlands on Sunday.
Foreign Minister Hector Timerman referred to Argentina’s plan to regulate international debt restructurings, to be presented on Tuesday before the UN’s General Assembly, and stressed the importance of the project saying that “the legal loophole is huge” and that it affects “most of the countries in the world.”
British Prime Minister David Cameron said over the weekend he was feeling emotional and nervous about the September 18 Scottish independence referendum.
The Italian economy contracted by 0.2% in the second quarter of 2014, Istat said Friday, confirming the continuation of the country's longest postwar recession. GDP was down 0.1% in the first quarter, it added. Likewise deflation hit Italy in August for the first time in more than 50 years, while unemployment rose again in July by 0.3% over June to 12.6%.
Paraguay has moved to eighth world exporter of beef and is planning to double the number of cattle slaughtered by 2020, according to the country's Rural Association, ARP. Last year 2.2million head of cattle were slaughtered in Paraguay, and 73% of the beef was exported while the rest was domestic consumption.
Next Wednesday Uruguay's main agro-show at the Prado's greens will open to receive over 2.277 livestock among which will be selected the top cattle (meat and dairy), sheep (wool and lambs), horses and swine of the country, in a display of advanced genetics.