Stories for December 24th 2015

Thursday, December 24th 2015 - 11:23 UTC
Merry Christmas from MercoPress

MercoPress wishes a Happy Holiday Season to all its readers and sponsors!
Thursday, December 24th 2015 - 11:11 UTC
Capital-strapped Petrobras wants to extend oil and gas fields contracts

Brazil's state-run oil company Petrobras will have to agree to extract at least 900 million barrels more of oil and natural gas equivalent from its Marlim and Voador offshore oil fields to win early renewal of its concession rights, oil regulator ANP said.
Thursday, December 24th 2015 - 10:56 UTC
Brazil is suing BHP and Vale 'at least' US$ 5bn for Minas Gerais mining disaster

A Brazilian federal court has ordered BHP Billiton and Vale to set aside US$ 491.5 million, with the possibility of billions more, has frozen the mining giants' assets in the country, and ordered it to carry out extensive environmental and social work in the region hit by a dam burst at its joint venture.
Thursday, December 24th 2015 - 10:34 UTC
Argentina begins round of negotiations on prices; unions demanding bonus to counter inflation

The Argentine government of president Mauricio Macri started a round of negotiations with big price setters as part of its bid to keep prices under control despite the recent devaluation of the peso. Domestic Trade Secretary Miguel Braun and Central Bank Governor Federico Sturzenegger met with the top representatives of the Argentine Chamber of Commerce (CAC) and representatives from medium-sized companies, who asked for cheap credit in exchange for the government’s goal of keeping prices in check.
Thursday, December 24th 2015 - 08:57 UTC
Brazilian economy will contract 3.6% this year confirms Central bank

Brazil's economy will shrink 3.6% this year and inflation will come in at 10.8%, according to a Central Bank report released Wednesday. The bank expects a continued recession in 2016, albeit with a less severe contraction of 1.9%, and an inflation rate of 6.2%.
Thursday, December 24th 2015 - 08:14 UTC
Malcorra tries to build a consensus on 'State objectives' with former ministers

In another attempt to display unity and consensus on 'State objectives' policy, Argentina's foreign minister Susana Malcorra welcomed six of her predecessors for lunch and a “frank” exchange of points of view on Argentina’s foreign policy.
Thursday, December 24th 2015 - 08:08 UTC
Italy's PM Rienzi looks to Spain and warns about the results of austerity in political systems

After Spain's elections on Sunday left the ruling Popular Party and president Mariano Rajoy well short of an absolute majority, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi argued this showed Europe does not want austerity, and those who apply them, even successful, are knocked out politically.
Thursday, December 24th 2015 - 07:55 UTC
Socialists reject Rajoy's offer to join a PP government, but all parties want to avoid new elections in two months

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy suffered a first major setback in his bid to stay in office as the Socialists refused Wednesday to back his attempt to form a new government following an inconclusive general election. Rajoy's conservative Popular Party won the most ballots in Sunday's vote but lost its absolute majority in the 350-seat lower house of parliament, taking just 123.