Brazil

• Sunday, April 7th 2013 - 23:58 UTC

  Brazil planning agency to manage fluvial ports, waterways and locks

  

  The administration of President Dilma Rousseff is working on the creation of a new agency which will be responsible for Brazil’s fluvial ports and terminals, waterways and locks. The ‘Hidrobras’ project is being drafted by the Ministries of Transport and Planning and will look after shipping in the fluvial system, “which is currently exploited far below its possibilities and potential”.

• Saturday, April 6th 2013 - 03:50 UTC

  Brazil claims trade situation with Argentina is “less than satisfactory”

  

  Brazil admitted that the trade situation with Argentina is “less than satisfactory”, given the ongoing barriers and restrictions imposed by Buenos Aires and revealed that the bilateral trade balance is now inclined in favour of its southern neighbour and Mercosur associate.

• Saturday, April 6th 2013 - 03:44 UTC

  Brazil hopeful an EU/Mercosur trade accord can be concluded this year

  

  Brazilian Foreign minister Antonio Patriota said he was hopeful that the European Union and Mercosur could advance this year towards a trade agreement they have been negotiating so far unsuccessfully for almost fifteen years and also warned about the coming EU/US trade talks for a comprehensive accord.

• Thursday, April 4th 2013 - 07:51 UTC

  Brazilian industrial production continues to struggle despite all the incentives

  

  Brazil’s industrial output shrank more than expected in February, reversing most of the previous month’s gains and casting fresh doubt over the health of an anaemic recovery in the struggling sector.

• Thursday, April 4th 2013 - 07:45 UTC

  Brazil central bank admits difficulties in taming stubbornly high inflation

  

  Brazil’s Central Bank will keep a close eye on the economy to see if there is a need for any action to tame stubbornly high inflation, the bank's chief Alexandre Tombini said in a presentation to the Senate's economic affairs committee

• Tuesday, April 2nd 2013 - 20:15 UTC

  Brazil’s boom crops expose port congestion and lack of infrastructure

  

  Brazil’s soybean production has reached record levels this season which could make the country the world’s leading producer but port congestion and lack of storage capacity are impeding exports of soybean as producers fear losing international markets.

• Tuesday, April 2nd 2013 - 19:42 UTC

  Real estate prices’ increase in Rio and Sao Paulo among the highest in the world

  

  The latest Knight Frank’s Global Real Estate Index released this month has Brazil ranking No. 3 in the world and No. 1 in the Americas for rising home prices. Only ridiculously expensive Hong Kong and Dubai, which are not countries, have seen prices rise more. So in fact, no single country has seen its housing prices increase as much as Brazil.

• Tuesday, April 2nd 2013 - 05:42 UTC

  Agriculture should help boost the Brazilian economy to 3.1% growth in 2013

  

  The Brazilian economy is expected to grow 3.1% this year while inflation will reach 5.7% according to the latest estimates from the Central bank released in its “Quarterly inflation report”. In the previous report at the end of last year inflation was estimated at 4.8% but there was no figure for growth.

• Tuesday, April 2nd 2013 - 05:38 UTC

  Brazil reviewing immigration policy and is looking for “brains and human capital”

  

  Brazil is after “brains and human capital” and a special Strategic Actions Secretariat (SAE) which depends directly from the Executive is working on a strategy to attract selective quality immigration according Ricardo Paes de Barros head of SAE interviewed by the Miami Herald.

• Tuesday, April 2nd 2013 - 02:37 UTC

  Brazil postpones until next year increases in car sales taxes to help the economy

  

  The Brazilian government postponed until next year increases in taxes on the sale of cars and trucks in a bid to stimulate demand for manufactured goods and spur economic growth, announced the Finance Ministry.