
Uruguayan officials reacted with dismay and indignation when it was confirmed that Argentine pickets are extending special neighbor passes to those wishing to cross a bridge linking the neighboring countries and which has been blocked in protest over the construction of a pulp mill in Uruguay.

Argentina announced this week the reopening the wheat and corn export registries, a measure that had an immediate impact in the US markets of Chicago and Kansas City.

Inflation in Argentina allegedly reached 22% in 2007 according to a group of displaced experts from the country's Statistics and Census Institute, Indec which has been at the centre of an acrimonious and controversial dispute between the legally autonomous organization and the Kirchner administrations.

The Spanish oil corporation Repsol SA could sell a 5 to 10% of its Argentine unit YPF to four local provinces, Madrid's El Mundo reported, citing unnamed sources close to negotiations between Repsol chairman Antoni Brufau and governor of the Chubut province Mario Das Neves.

Keeping electricity rates frozen cost the Argentine Treasury four billion US dollars in four years, from 2003 to 2007. A sum which could have been invested in six 800 MW thermal generation plants or two gas pipelines from Bolivia according to Argentina's Cammesa, manager of the country's wholesale electricity market.
The Argentine government contracted 37.000 civil servants under the administration of president Nestor Kirchner, (2003/2007) which works out at an average of 35 new employees every day, according to reports from the Ministry of Economy published Monday in the Buenos Aires press.
Argentina's Patagonian hydrocarbons rich province of Chubut announced this week the discovery of new oil deposits that will help double the province's production, anticipated Governor Mario Das Neves.

Argentina fisheries exports dropped in volume and value in 2007 according to the latest release from the country's Nacional Food Safety and Quality Service (SENASA). Exports totaled 505.794 tons of fish and shellfish valued 1,027 billion US dollars which is 13% and 14% below 2006.
Argentina reported a monthly primary budget deficit for the first time in three years pushed by higher social security spending and subsidized loans for small businesses.

British Airways has announced plans to significantly increase services to South America with a daily direct flight to Buenos Aires and starting next winter non-stop flights to Rio de Janeiro.