Stories for March 2021

Friday, March 19th 2021 - 09:10 UTC
Banco do Brasil CEO resigns after clashing with Bolsonaro over an austerity plan to close 200 branches

Brazil’s largest state bank CEO quit on Thursday after crashing earlier this year with President Jair Bolsonaro over an austerity drive. Andre Brandao resigned as chief executive officer of Banco do Brasil SA, the nation’s second-biggest bank by assets, the company said in a regulatory filing.
Friday, March 19th 2021 - 08:50 UTC
Argentina buying LNG cargoes from BP, preparing for the coming winter

Argentina's state-owned IEASA received offers from 14 companies to supply 24 LNG cargoes at an average price of US$ 6.50/mn Btu. All the offers are expected to be awarded for a total of US$ 330mn, according to the energy secretariat.
Friday, March 19th 2021 - 08:46 UTC
New Brazilian health minister pledges to continue with Bolsonaro's policies

Brazil reported a record number of COVID-19 deaths just as the country's new health minister nominee pledged to continue the controversial policies of president Jair Bolsonaro, who has downplayed the severity of the disease.
Thursday, March 18th 2021 - 20:28 UTC
UK, Argentina and the Falklands signed an agreement for the second phase to identify soldiers fallen in 1982

The governments of the United Kingdom, the Falkland Islands and Argentina agreed on Thursday to carry out a new stage of the Humanitarian Project Plan that began in 2017 and has allowed the identification of 115 Argentine soldiers fallen during the 1982 armed conflict. The agreement was signed at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva, Switzerland and the Plan will be resumed in August, as confirmed by the British Embassy in Buenos Aires.
Thursday, March 18th 2021 - 09:35 UTC
Falklands: begins second phase to identify Argentine soldiers remains

The accord for the second phase of the humanitarian initiative to identify the remains of Argentine combatants buried at the Argentine military cemetery in the Falkland Islands is scheduled to be signed this Thursday in Geneva, while work could be starting by next August.
Thursday, March 18th 2021 - 09:20 UTC
Argentine economy minister to meet IMF in Washington; no deal expected in May

Argentina's Economy Minister Martin Guzmán traveled to New York on Wednesday night to meet investors before heading to Washington for talks with the International Monetary Fund, a government source said.
Thursday, March 18th 2021 - 08:53 UTC
Fearing a spike in inflation, Brazil hikes interest rate 75 basis points for the first time since 2015

Brazil's central bank on Wednesday announced a first interest rate hike since 2015, a surprising 75 basis point increase to 2.75% and anticipated a similar increase in May to fight inflation even as the economy struggles during the pandemic.
Thursday, March 18th 2021 - 08:53 UTC
YPF hikes fuel prices 7% to help finance an ambitious investment plan to boost crude production

YPF, the biggest oil producer in Argentina, said on March 16 that it hiked diesel and gasoline pump prices by 7%, helping to finance a US$2.7 billion investment plan to boost crude output.
Thursday, March 18th 2021 - 08:51 UTC
Fed sees no interest rate hikes likely through 2023; US GDP expected to increase 6,5% in 2021

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday sharply ramped up its expectations for economic growth but indicated that there are no interest rate hikes likely through 2023 despite an improving outlook and a turn this year to higher inflation.
Thursday, March 18th 2021 - 08:50 UTC
Second dose of Covid vaccinations set to begin in the Falklands

The next phase of Covid vaccinations in the Falklands is set to begin on 23 March, the Falkland Islands Government confirmed on Tuesday. The upcoming vaccination round will see people who received their first dose between 8-12 February receive their second dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab.