Brazil

• Thursday, September 5th 2013 - 01:52 UTC

  Brazil congress tries to contain public opinion fury and ends secret voting system

  

  Brazil's lower house has voted on Wednesday to end the system of secret voting in the national legislature. That's been a main demand from anti-government protesters who've taken to streets since June. And it was one of the five specific reform items that President Dilma Rousseff told lawmakers to pass to meet demonstrators' demands.

• Wednesday, September 4th 2013 - 01:31 UTC

  Brazilean production in all four industry categories down in July

  

  Brazilian industrial output was down 2% in July from June this year. The information was released this Tuesday in the Monthly Industrial Survey by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics IBGE.

• Wednesday, September 4th 2013 - 01:26 UTC

  Brazil's inflation tendency again picks up as food and transport prices rebound

  

  Brazil’s twelve-month inflation ended August at its lowest level this year, according to a central bank survey of fourteen economists. This means the 12-month IPCA consumer-price index is likely to weigh in at 6.10% for August, down from 6.27% at the end of July.

• Monday, September 2nd 2013 - 19:49 UTC

  Argentine officials admit inflation is higher than the official release from Indec

  

  President Cristina Fernandez Victory Front’s parliamentary candidate for next October mid-term election, Martín Insaurralde admitted on Monday that inflation rate is higher than the one released by INDEC statistics agency although the agency is “transparent” and “must readjust to times and realities.”

• Monday, September 2nd 2013 - 19:41 UTC

  Argentina and Brazil pointed out by Europe for protectionist practices

  

  Global efforts to battle trade protectionism need to be reinforced to help shield the fragile economic recovery across the world said a report released on Monday by the European Commission in which it claims Brazil and Argentina are among the main offenders when it comes to import duties hikes and government procurement limitations.

• Monday, September 2nd 2013 - 12:00 UTC

  Maduro apologizes to Paraguay for any ‘pain’ caused and promises ‘to repair the error’

  

  Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro apologized to his peer Paraguayan peer Horacio Cartes for any ‘pain’ caused to Paraguay and promised a ‘sacrifice’ to repair the ‘error’, according to sources from both presidents and from Brazilian leader Dilma Rousseff who sponsored the meeting between the two heads of state in the framework of the recent Unasur VII summit in Suriname.

• Monday, September 2nd 2013 - 02:29 UTC

  TAM and South African Airways sign codeshare agreement

  

  South African Airways (SAA) and Brazilian carrier TAM Airlines have signed a codeshare agreement to increase access to destinations in both countries for both leisure and business travellers.

• Saturday, August 31st 2013 - 15:30 UTC

  Falklands’ lawmaker arrives in Uruguay to inform on business opportunities in the Islands

  

  Falkland Islands member of the Legislative Assembly Dick Sawle will be in Montevideo 2-6 September, after spending a week in Brazil involved in business, academia and informal political contacts sponsored by the Foreign Office. In Uruguay according to the official release MLA Sawle will inform about business opportunities with the Falklands and to strengthen the historical ties with Uruguay.

• Saturday, August 31st 2013 - 02:01 UTC

  Sigh of relief for Mantega: Brazilian economy expands 1.5% in second quarter

  

  Brazil’s economy expanded 1.5% in the second quarter of 2013 compared with the previous three month, exceeding the most optimistic market expectations, official statistics showed Friday. The farm sector fared best, growing 3.9%, followed by industry with 2% and services 0.8% according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) website.

• Thursday, August 29th 2013 - 02:48 UTC

  IMF encouragement for Brazil’s economy gradual upturn

  

  The Brazilian economy is on a gradual upturn from the slowdown begun in mid-2011, the IMF says while urging Brasilia to continue efforts to rein in inflation. The country's 12-month inflation reached 6.27% in July, close to the upper limit of the government target of 6.5%.