Brazil

• Saturday, March 5th 2011 - 07:14 UTC

  Brazilian auto production increased 18.7% in February from January

  

  Automobile production in Brazil rose 18.7% in February from January, setting a record for the month, as exports surged on the back of increased global demand for automobiles, industry data showed on Friday.

• Saturday, March 5th 2011 - 05:29 UTC

  Carnival hangover could bring capital ‘quarantine’ for speculative inflows

  

  The Brazilian government is considering additional foreign exchange measures to contain the rapid appreciation of the Real, a source inside the Finance Ministry told the Sao Paulo Estado news agency Friday.

• Saturday, March 5th 2011 - 05:20 UTC

  Unexpected slowdown of Brazilian inflation during February: 0.8%

  

  Retail prices in Brazil, as measured by the benchmark IPCA index, rose 0.8% in February, down from 0.83% January, the national statistics agency said in a report distributed in Rio de Janeiro Friday.

• Friday, March 4th 2011 - 06:04 UTC

  Green light for the construction of the world’s third largest dam in Brazil

  

  A Brazilian court on Thursday lifted an order that suspended construction of the massive but controversial Belo Monte hydroelectric plant in the Amazon rain forest, a project expected to face barrage of lawsuits by environmental critics.

• Friday, March 4th 2011 - 01:52 UTC

  Brazil, the seventh economy of the world and ready to overtake France and UK

  

  Brazil announced Thursday it has become the world’s seventh economy after having expanded 7.5% in 2010, the strongest in 24 years. Brazil’s GDP now stands at 2.1 trillion US dollars with a per capita income of 11.185 USD.

• Thursday, March 3rd 2011 - 19:02 UTC

  Bolivian top anti-drugs intelligence advisor jailed in Miami for narcotics smuggling

  

  A top Bolivian security official pled not guilty in a Miami federal court Wednesday on charges of conspiring to smuggle cocaine into the U.S., in a scandal that has rocked the government of Evo Morales and provoked a wide-ranging police crackdown.

• Thursday, March 3rd 2011 - 18:54 UTC

  Brazil’s basic interest rate forecasted to increase 50 points to 12.25% in April

  

  Brazil Wednesday central bank decision to raise interest rates by 50bps to 11.75% was widely expected but significant for two reasons, according to a report from Capital Economics .

• Thursday, March 3rd 2011 - 18:46 UTC

  Brazilian economy expanded 7.5% in 2010; government applies ‘cooling’ measures

  

  Brazil grew at its fastest pace in 24 years in 2010, expanding 7.5% on strong consumer demand but other complementary data also showed the economy is feeling the strains of overheating.

• Thursday, March 3rd 2011 - 06:19 UTC

  Fearing overheated economy Brazil raises basic interest rate 50 points to 11.75%

  

  Brazil’s Central bank on Wednesday raised its benchmark overnight rate by a half-point for a second straight meeting to cool inflation that is approaching the upper limit of the government’s target range.

• Wednesday, March 2nd 2011 - 07:17 UTC

  Presidenta Rousseff: “Brazilian young girls can now aspire to become president”

  

  President Dilma Rousseff praised Brazilian women on a popular television program for having helped her “open the path for all young girls who dream of becoming president” and reiterated her administration’s commitment to combat poverty which has the face of ‘women and children’.