Brazil

• Monday, February 18th 2013 - 06:18 UTC

  Mantega anticipates higher interest rate to help keep inflation under control

  

  Brazil’s Finance minister Guido Mantega in Moscow for the G-20 meeting, said that inflation above the government's target raises a yellow flag and that monetary policy, not the exchange rate, is the right tool to control prices.

• Monday, February 18th 2013 - 06:14 UTC

  Brazil deploys elite forces in southern state to contain wave of violent attacks from drug lords

  

  Elite police commando units fanned out across the streets of the Brazilian southern state of Santa Catarina over the weekend in an attempt to contain a wave of violent attacks over the past two weeks.

• Monday, February 18th 2013 - 00:24 UTC

  Cruise industry warns South America: itinerary costs are three times higher than in the Mediterranean

  

  Representatives from the cruise industry have cautioned Uruguay that port operational costs in South America could have a negative impact on what has been a steady increase of business in the last few seasons and this impact could be felt as soon as next year despite the fact that the 2012/2013 season on the Atlantic is proving to be quite successful despite an uncertain start. “Itineraries’ costs in South America are three times those of the Mediterranean”.

• Saturday, February 16th 2013 - 20:50 UTC

  Brazilian business community demands the country signs trade accords with third countries

  

  Brazilian businesspeople and diplomats expressed their disappointment with Mercosur and said it was crucial for Brazil to sign free trade agreements on its own with third countries, which under current rules of the South American trade block are not allowed.

• Friday, February 15th 2013 - 05:40 UTC

  Apple fighting to recover “iPhone” trademark registered in Brazil by local company

  

  Apple Inc, which lost the rights to its iPhone trademark in Brazil this week, is challenging the ruling by Brazil's copyright regulator to prevent local firm Gradiente Eletronica SA from using the “iphone” brand name.

• Monday, February 11th 2013 - 00:56 UTC

  Brazil January inflation spike triggers concern for the government and investors

  

  Brazilian inflation in January climbed to 0.86%, the highest for the month in the last ten years, according to the country’s stats office, IBGE. Inflation in December was 0.79%, ending the twelve months of last year at 5.82% which was in the target range with a ceiling of 6.5%.

• Wednesday, February 6th 2013 - 05:50 UTC

  Brazil and Israeli companies join to develop unmanned aircraft for border control

  

  Brazilian defence contractor Avibras will join plane maker Embraer SA and the local unit of Israeli Defence Company Elbit Systems in developing unmanned aircraft in Brazil, the companies said on Tuesday.

• Wednesday, February 6th 2013 - 05:38 UTC

  Very poor year for Argentine pears and apples exports last year; 2013 prospects improving

  

  Brazil's high fruit demand didn't prevent the general collapse of Argentine export of pears and apples. The exchange rate lag was a determining factor in this trading debacle, but better prospects are expected for 2013.

• Tuesday, February 5th 2013 - 17:13 UTC

  Petrobras still going strong but 2012 low profits and high debt pound on prospects

  

  Brazil’s government managed oil and gas corporation Petrobras posted a net benefit of 21.182 billion Reais (approx 10.6bn dollars) in 2012, which is 36% below 2011, reported the company in a filing, but in the fourth quarter profits totalled 7.747bn Reais (approx 3.9bn dollars) 53% higher than in the same period in 2011.

• Tuesday, February 5th 2013 - 02:58 UTC

  Brazilian congress challenges Justice: votes graft suspects to key posts

  

  The lower chamber of Brazilian Congress voted overwhelmingly on Monday for Henrique Alves to become its speaker, even though he is under investigation for graft. The selection of Alves came after the Senate chose a new leader who is also accused of corruption.