
The trader at the centre of the Libor rate-rigging trial tried to influence other banks to manipulate the key benchmark rate to suit his own trading positions, a jury at Southwark Crown Court has heard. Tom Hayes allegedly told one trader that he had managed to keep the three-month Libor rate artificially high.

Good and bad news for Argentina's economy: the latest figures from the National Statistics and Census Institute (INDEC) reveal that economic activity increased 2% percent in March, compared to the same month last year, but industrial production recorded its 21st negative consecutive month in April.

The soy market in Argentina's pivotal grains hub was virtually paralyzed for the fifth day on Friday as most exporters refrained from purchases in a bid to pressure the government to resolve a nearly three-week long strike among crushing workers.

For a third year in a row the United States will be the top wheat supplier for Brazil, displacing Argentina from its historic position, according to the latest release from Brazilian consultancy Trigo & Farinhas. This piece of information is significant given the world prices for grains and wheat planting prospects in South America.

State of Iowa Governor Terry Branstad declared a state of emergency due to a rapidly expanding avian flu outbreak, saying the entire state was at risk from the spread of the disease.

Uruguay exported meat, offal, meat products and by-products worth 550 million dollars in the year up to 18 April, 8% more than the same period of 2014. Beef exports totaled 454 million in the first months of the year, with the main buyers including China, member countries of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the European Union, Israel and MERCOSUR countries.

There was both good and bad news for France in this week’s annual report on the outlook of the wine industry by the International Organization of Wine and Vine (OIV).

China's central bank is to cut its bank reserve requirement ratio by one percentage point. The People's Bank of China said that the new reserve requirement would take effect from Monday. The aim is to stimulate more lending into the nation's slowing economy.

Mercosur must exhaust efforts with determination to advance in trade negotiations with the European Union, said Uruguay's Deputy foreign minister Jose Luis Cancela confirming the country's commitment with the block, but also demanding 'sincerity' in addressing the challenges and agreeing on an international insertion strategy.

Brazil raised estimates for both its corn and soybean harvests, citing rains which had come in time to boost yields of later planted crops, besides boosting expectations for safrinha corn. The official Conab crop bureau lifted by 1.0m tons to 94.3m tons its estimate for Brazil's soybean production in 2014-15, as late rainfall helped results surprise positively in particular in central areas.