Brazil

• Monday, June 10th 2013 - 12:41 UTC

  Brazilian economy eroding Rousseff’s support, but remains favourite for 2014 election

  

  Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's approval rating fell for the first time since her term began in January 2011 as concern about inflation and sluggish economic growth grew. Rousseff's presidency was rated as “good” or “excellent” fell to 57% from 65% in the previous poll.

• Friday, June 7th 2013 - 23:45 UTC

  Brazil’s inflation still at 6.5% upper; Central bank determined to contain prices

  

  Consumer prices edged up 0.3% in Brazil last month, fuelled by higher medicine, clothing and housing prices, with 12-month inflation at 6.5%, the state statistics agency said on Friday. The May increase, in line with market analysts' forecasts, was lower than the 0.5% recorded in April and the lowest since June 2012.

• Friday, June 7th 2013 - 05:43 UTC

  S&P cuts Brazil credit rating outlook to negative because of sluggish growth

  

  Brazil’s credit rating outlook was cut to negative by Standard & Poor’s saying sluggish economic growth and an expansionary fiscal policy could lead to higher government debt levels. Reacting to the announcement a spokesperson from the Finance ministry said “there is no change in economic policy and the environment is conducive to investment”.

• Thursday, June 6th 2013 - 22:33 UTC

  Argentina’s energy imports soar 47% during April propped by gas purchases

  

  Argentina’s energy imports during April soared 47.6% over a year ago reported the government mainly because of massive natural gas purchases for the coming winter. The bill in April climbed to 733 million dollars from 384 million a year ago, while Enarsa the government corporation that has the monopoly of LNG imports spent 438 million this year and 259 million in April 2012.

• Thursday, June 6th 2013 - 22:25 UTC

  Brazilian industry demands Mercosur looks for new markets or will end ‘isolated’

  

  The powerful Brazilian National Confederation of Industry, CNI said that the country and its Mercosur partners will end ‘isolated’ if they don’t actively look for alternative trade accords, as is being done by other Latam countries.

• Thursday, June 6th 2013 - 06:30 UTC

  Two continents’ police bust ring that shipped cocaine hidden in frozen fish to Spain

  

  Brazilian authorities said they had smashed a ring of narco-traffickers said to have shipped drugs hidden in frozen fish to Europe. Eleven members of the drug and money laundering network, based in Brazil and with connections in Colombia, Portugal and Spain were arrested between last Friday and Tuesday and 5 million dollars worth of goods seized, prosecutors said.

• Thursday, June 6th 2013 - 06:06 UTC

  Brazil signs bill expanding private sector participation in the clogged ports

  

  Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff signed into law on Wednesday new regulations to make its ports more efficient and attract up to 12 billion dollars in investments as the country finally begins to tackle logistics bottlenecks hampering vast farm exports.

• Wednesday, June 5th 2013 - 22:11 UTC

  Argentina seizes Brazilian cargo railway concession arguing non compliance with contract conditions

  

  Argentina expropriated a cargo railway concession from Brazil’s All America Latina Logistica, ALL, and a tourist train concession, citing non-compliance with contractual agreements. ALL operated the railways between Mendoza province and the Rosario port as well as the railway between Misiones province and the Buenos Aires port since 1999.

• Wednesday, June 5th 2013 - 22:06 UTC

  Brazil boosts agriculture budget by 18% to speed expansion of storage capacity

  

  The Brazilian government announced that it is increasing the farm budget, including funds for subsidized loans by 18% to 136 billion Reais (approx 68 billion-dollars) mainly for improving the country’s insufficient storage capacity and new silos.

• Wednesday, June 5th 2013 - 21:08 UTC

  Russia temporary bans beef and poultry imports from three Brazil Marfrig plants

  

  The Russian veterinary and phytosanitary service, Rosselkhoznadzor, temporarily suspended imports from two Brazilian beef slaughterhouses and one poultry processing facility on May 17, citing detection of listeria in shipments, according to processors involved.