Brazil

• Monday, October 29th 2012 - 12:26 UTC

  With the charisma of Lula da Silva, Brazilian ruling party takes control of Sao Paulo city

  

  Fernando Haddad of Brazil’s ruling Workers Party, a protégé of ex-president Lula da Silva, won Sao Paulo’s mayoral runoff election, according to official results. With 92% of ballots counted, Haddad had secured 56% to defeat his opposition rival and former presidential candidate Jose Serra of the Brazilian Social Democratic Party who received 43.9%.

• Friday, October 26th 2012 - 21:20 UTC

  Vulnerable Brazil: 53 million people in 11 states in the dark for over four hours

  

  A massive blackout left as many as 53 million Brazilians in the dark late Thursday and early Friday, the latest in a string of energy shortages that have raised questions about whether Brazil's infrastructure is keeping pace with economic growth.

• Friday, October 26th 2012 - 00:57 UTC

  Brazil renews tax cuts for local carmakers until 2013 to help industry and jobs

  

  Brazil will renew tax cuts for local carmakers through the end of the year, President Dilma Rousseff announced this week, extending a key economic stimulus measure to help recovery in Latin America's largest economy.

• Friday, October 26th 2012 - 00:14 UTC

  Brazil central bank says ‘recovery in underway’ and inflation in ‘under control’

  

  Brazil Central Bank President Alexandre Tombini Tuesday said “there are consistent signs that the recovery of economic growth is underway” and insisted despite some market skepticism, that inflation is “under control.”

• Friday, October 26th 2012 - 00:10 UTC

  Lula da Silva’s magic ensures Sao Paulo City in Sunday’s municipal run-off

  

  The electoral magic of former Brazilian president Lula da Silva did it again: the country’s major financial and industrial hub, the city of Sao Paulo only a few weeks ago was turning its back on the ruling Workers party at the municipal elections, but is now to his feet probably with a landslide victory.

• Thursday, October 25th 2012 - 06:31 UTC

  Argentina reaches surplus target but exports in September plummeted 27%

  

  Argentine exports in September experienced their largest drop since the 2009 financial crisis totalling 6.818bn dollars or 12% less than the same month a year ago, according to the latest report on the country’s foreign trade released by INDEC.

• Wednesday, October 24th 2012 - 05:47 UTC

  Brazil’s industrial production slows in September says Industries lobby

  

  Brazil's industrial production slowed in September from August amid tight competition and a lack of demand, according to a survey released Tuesday by the country's National Confederation of Industries, or CNI.

• Wednesday, October 24th 2012 - 05:44 UTC

  Brazil a magnet for auto manufacturers: Land Rover and KIA with plant plans

  

  Jaguar Land Rover will likely decide before the end of this year whether to build a factory in Brazil, local President Flavio Padovan said on Tuesday. South Korea’s KIA Company is also considering the manufacturing plant option following the increase in import taxes.

• Tuesday, October 23rd 2012 - 07:33 UTC

  Brazil says all Mercosur leaders have to decide lifting Paraguay’s suspension

  

  Brazil said it is hard to see Paraguay rejoining Mercosur and Unasur before next year’s presidential election. The two blocks suspended the landlocked country following the removal of Fernando Lugo last June and replacing him with President Federico Franco.

• Tuesday, October 23rd 2012 - 07:27 UTC

  Brazil will invest 2bn dollars in promoting fishing industry and doubling catches

  

  Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff announced on Monday an ambitious program to boost and make competitive the fishing industry doubling catches for which she promised the government would invest 4.1bn Reais (2bn dollars).