Brazil

• Thursday, September 2nd 2010 - 07:21 UTC

  Brazilian central bank keeps benchmark interest rate on hold at 10.75%

  

  Brazil's central bank held on Wednesday its benchmark interest rate at 10.75%, ending a monetary tightening cycle that helped cool the economy as the country prepares for October 3 presidential election.

• Thursday, September 2nd 2010 - 07:10 UTC

  Brazil announces major iron deposit discovery in Matto Grosso

  

  Brazil's Mato Grosso state government announced Wednesday it had registered a major mineral deposit discovery with an estimated 11.5 billion tons of iron ore of a 41% Fe grade plus another 428 million tons of phosphates.

• Thursday, September 2nd 2010 - 06:50 UTC

  Caterpillar expands manufacturing operations in Brazil to cater Mercosur

  

  Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) announced Wednesday the expansion of its manufacturing operations in Brazil capitalizing on the expected growth of demand in the Mercosur regional block and Latin America.

• Wednesday, September 1st 2010 - 06:37 UTC

  One of Brazil’s media icons becomes first 100% digital newspaper

  

  Starting Wednesday September 1, 2010, Jornal do Brasil, celebrating its 119th year, will become the first 100% digital newspaper in Brazil.

• Wednesday, September 1st 2010 - 06:34 UTC

  Brazilian July industrial output grows at lower than expected rate

  

  Brazilian industrial production output experienced an increase of 0.4% in July from a month earlier, which is less than expected according to a report released by the Brazilian national statistics bureau IBGE in Río de Janeiro, compared with a 1% decline in June.

• Wednesday, September 1st 2010 - 06:10 UTC

  Brazil promotes tourism to Rio’s (crime-free) favelas (shanty towns)

  

  Tourists usually try to run from Brazil’s Rio do Janeiro's notorious slums. Now officials headed by President Lula da Silva are inviting them to come and visit instead. The Santa Marta shantytown this week became the first community in a program meant to promote tourism in the poor neighbourhoods that are home to some unique music and art work.

• Wednesday, September 1st 2010 - 06:02 UTC

  Brazilian beef producer wants to sell abattoirs and reduce Argentine operations

  

  Brazil’s JBS, the world's top beef producer is trying to sell three of its Argentine plants due to government policies that have depleted cattle stocks and supply and hurt profits, a trade group said on Tuesday.

• Wednesday, September 1st 2010 - 05:57 UTC

  Colombia’s Santos meets Lula da Silva in his first overseas visit

  

  Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos arrived Tuesday in Brazil for an official two-day state visit that begins Wednesday with a meeting with President Lula da Silva to address a regional political agenda and strengthen bilateral trade.

• Wednesday, September 1st 2010 - 02:48 UTC

  Lifting Mercosur out of its “institutional paralysis”, Rousseff’s main challenge

  

  Consolidating South American integration would be the main foreign policy priority of the Brazilian ruling party presidential candidate Dilma Rousseff if public opinion polls are confirmed at the ballot box next October 3 and she emerges as the successor of Lula da Silva.

• Monday, August 30th 2010 - 19:28 UTC

  Brazil preparing to act against the strong appreciation of its currency

  

  Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega said foreign-based companies operating in Brazil should consider sending some profits home as the exchange rate is unlikely to remain as favorable as it is now.