Brazil

• Wednesday, December 5th 2012 - 18:45 UTC

  Brazil extends tax breaks to construction industry to spur growth

  

  The Brazilian government extended tax breaks to the country's construction industry in a new effort to encourage investment and boost flagging growth which is putting pressure on the government to further include other stimuli measures.

• Tuesday, December 4th 2012 - 16:19 UTC

  For Spain’s Santander bank Brazil is number one and ‘absolute preference’

  

  Emilio Botin chairman of Santander Bank, the leading financial institution in Spain and among the top largest in the European Union said in Sao Paulo that Brazil is the “number one country in Latin America” and the absolute preference of his institution.

• Tuesday, December 4th 2012 - 05:41 UTC

  Brazil pays tribute to sexiest female bottom and crowns Miss Bumbum 2012

  Carine Felizardo, a curvy exuberant model from the northern state of Para was crowned Miss Bumbum 2012, a title rewarding Brazil’s sexiest female derriere. A jury of six women and five men picked the 25-year-old Felizardo among 15 finalists in the second annual edition of the contest, held in a Sao Paulo hotel.

• Monday, December 3rd 2012 - 05:57 UTC

  Brazil farmland prices quadrupled over the past decade outpacing inflation

  

  Prices for farmland in Brazil surged by an average 14% a year to nearly quadruple over the past decade, well outpacing inflation and nearly matching gains made by São Paulo's blue-chip Ibovespa stock index, a new study shows.

• Monday, December 3rd 2012 - 05:11 UTC

  Brazil ‘trapped and isolated’ in Mercosur, should try trade agreements with US, says former president

  

  Former Brazilian president Fernando Henrique Cardoso said it was convenient to consider a trade integration with the Unites States given the very modest advances with Mercosur, where open trade has stalled or is far less than was expected when the original idea and is subjected to protectionist lobbies.

• Friday, November 30th 2012 - 23:54 UTC

  Rousseff vetoes part of oil royalties’ bill: victory for producer states

  

  President Dilma Rousseff vetoed on Friday parts of a controversial oil royalties bill that pit Brazil's oil-producing states against the rest of the country in a battle over future oil wealth.

• Friday, November 30th 2012 - 23:51 UTC

  Surprisingly disappointing performance of Brazilian economy in third quarter

  

  Brazil on Friday reported slower than expected economic growth in the third quarter putting more pressure on President Dilma Rousseff to make deeper structural reforms and adding to fears that the global slowdown is reaching big emerging markets.

• Thursday, November 29th 2012 - 22:23 UTC

  Brazil calls on Argentina to integrate and consolidate world’s fifth largest economy

  

  The presence this week of Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff next to Cristina Fernandez at Argentina’s Industrial Union, UIA annual conference was considered a major integration success and highlights the growing interaction of the two leading Mercosur partners.

• Thursday, November 29th 2012 - 14:00 UTC

  Brazil ends cuts and keeps key interest rate unchanged at 7.25%

  

  Brazil's central bank kept its key interest rate unchanged at 7.25% on Wednesday, ending a series of cuts since last year, as the world's sixth largest economy tries to contain inflation.

• Wednesday, November 28th 2012 - 21:14 UTC

  Burdened by domestic problems Brazil’s Rousseff will be absent from Unasur summit

  

  Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff has cancelled her attendance to the Union of South American Nations, Unasur summit in Peru on Friday because of “agenda problems” and previous “domestic engagements”, according to the Planalto press secretary office. Vice-president Michel Temer will be attending in her name.