Argentina

• Sunday, January 26th 2014 - 11:56 UTC

  Argentine squid exports increased 84% last year compared to 2012

  

  Argentina fisheries exports reached 441,255 tons in 2013, up 19.6% over the previous year when 368,915 tons were shipped abroad. Among the items with outstanding performance figures squid with over 100.000 tons and 84% higher than in 2012, according to the official stats from Argentina's Senasa, National Health and Food Quality Service.

• Saturday, January 25th 2014 - 03:25 UTC

  Argentina rolls back dollar restrictions hoping to contain market volatility; Monday test day

  

  Argentina lifted on Friday restrictions on personal US dollar purchases for citizens, ending a prohibition on greenback savings that began at the end of 2011. The new measures, which occur one day after both the official and parallel 'blue' dollar saw record rises, were announced in a short press conference by Cabinet Chief Jorge Capitanich and Economy Minister Axel Kicillof. The measures become effective from Monday onwards.

• Saturday, January 25th 2014 - 00:28 UTC

  Mantega insists that the Mercosur/EU trade agreement includes Argentina

  

  Mercosur is preparing for trade negotiations with the European Union and they include Argentina, said on Friday Brazilian finance minister Guido Mantega at the World Economic Forum taking place in Davos, Switzerland. The comment seems to contradict other recent statements which said the trade deal with the EU will go forward with or without a reluctant Argentina.

• Friday, January 24th 2014 - 03:35 UTC

  Mercosur/EU with their own problems still don't have a date to continue negotiations

  

  Mercosur and the European Union continue to work on their tariff reduction proposals list but have no scheduled date for negotiators to meet and advance on a long delayed trade agreement according to Uruguayan diplomatic sources. However what is certain is that when the date is agreed it will be clear if Mercosur consensus proposal will include all founding members of the group.

• Friday, January 24th 2014 - 03:28 UTC

  Falkland Islands cruise ship season looking “relatively healthy”

  

  The Falkland Islands cruise ship season is looking “relatively healthy” to date, according to Sulivan Shipping Tourism Coordinator Samantha Marsh, with a third of the estimated 45,000 (total) passengers scheduled still to visit during February. The season got underway in October and to date 12,300 passengers have landed from 41 vessels of varying sizes.

• Friday, January 24th 2014 - 02:15 UTC

  Argentina: in chaotic trading dollar jumps 12.4% in one day to 8 Pesos in the official market

  

  In a day of chaotic trading the Argentine Peso on Thursday again plummeted against the US dollar losing 12.4% of its value in the official market, ending the day at just over 8 Pesos. In earlier operations the dollar was selling at 8,31 Pesos until the Central bank decided to intervene helping to cool the market.

• Friday, January 24th 2014 - 02:11 UTC

  Record hot January for Argentina with thermal factor 47.6 Celsius in Buenos Aires

  

  January 2014 is becoming the hottest month in 53 years for Argentina with the thermal factor reaching an unbearable 47.6 Celsius mid afternoon before rain poured bringing some relief to most of the country an particularly in cement city Buenos Aires.

• Friday, January 24th 2014 - 02:09 UTC

  Argentine 2013 trade surplus down 27%, helping with the dollar shortage

  

  Argentina's trade balance during 2013 left of surplus of 9.24 billion dollars, 27% less than in the previous year (12.42bn), according to the latest release from the official stats office, indec. Exports in the past year grew by 3% to reach a value of 83bn dollars, while imports rose by 8% and totaled just over 74bn.

• Thursday, January 23rd 2014 - 23:36 UTC

  Argentina after Israeli fighter planes; concern in London and Brasilia, says defense expert

  

  Argentina is considering the purchase from Israel of 18 multipurpose combat aircraft Kfir Block 60 after negotiations with Spain for 16 Mirage F1 fighter bombers fell through, according to a report from Buenos Aires daily Clarin.

• Thursday, January 23rd 2014 - 20:57 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez is back on stage and announces program to help the young unemployed

  

  Forty two days after her last public speech, Argentine president Cristina Fernandez was back on stage on Wednesday evening on national television to criticize the media, question the opposition and announce a new social plan to aid young unemployed and encourage them to study.