Brazil

• Sunday, February 17th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Petrobras orders high seas oil platform costing 1.2 billion

  

  Brazil's government managed oil corporation Petrobras signed on Friday a contract with Single Buoy Mooring (SBM) to build a high seas oil rig to operate at a water depth of 1.246 and which will cost in the range of 1.2 billion US dollars and be delivered in three years time.

• Thursday, February 14th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  President Lula da Silva visits Brazilian base in Antarctica

  

  Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is expected this Friday in Punta Arenas, extreme south of Chile, before his flight on Saturday to his country's Antarctic base “Comandante Ferraz”, reports the local press.

• Wednesday, February 13th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  France to help Brazil build fighter planes and submarines

  

  Brazil and France announced the strengthening of their growing strategic alliance in defense and other fields during a presidential summit Tuesday in French Guyana. Nicolas Sarkozy hosted Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the Amazonia border city of Saint Georges-de-l'Oiapock.

• Wednesday, February 13th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil confirms inflation target; January IPCA 0.54%

  

  Brazil's monthly inflation slowed in January for the first time in four months as food prices eased. Consumer prices, IPCA index, rose 0.54% in January, down from a 0.74% jump in December, reported Wednesday the Brazilian Geography and Statistics Institute, IBGE.

• Sunday, February 10th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil's industrial output in 2007 second best of decade

  

  Industrial output in Brazil grew last year at its fastest pace since 2004, jumping 6% boosted by domestic demand according to official data. The surge in industrial activity was broad, driven by a sharp increase in the availability of credit allowing Brazilian consumers to buy more cars and home appliances.

• Saturday, February 9th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil reported 13 fatal cases of yellow fever in eight weeks

  

  Brazil has reported a total of 48 cases of the mosquito borne yellow fever, 13 of them fatal, since mid December, the World Health Organisation said this week. Three states, Goias, Brasilia and Matto Grosso do Sul concentrate the majority of cases.

• Thursday, February 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil opens wheat market to ensure domestic supply

  

  Brazil has decided to temporarily lift the tariff on imported wheat from outside Mercosur trade bloc, following a request made by mills, a spokesperson at Brazil's Foreign Trade Chamber (Camex) said this week.

• Tuesday, February 5th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil could complaint with WTO over EU ban on meat imports

  

  Brazil on Tuesday sharply criticized the European Union's decision to temporarily ban Brazilian beef imports and warned it could file a complaint with the World Trade Organization.

• Tuesday, February 5th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil seeks to modernize submarine Force

  

  Brazil's dreams of becoming the first Latin American country to operate a nuclear submarine were reportedly discussed during a late January visit by defense minister Nelson Jobim to France.
  
  Long-dormant plans to enter the nuclear submarine club were recently revived by Brazil, which already has a modest submarine-building capability.

• Monday, February 4th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Cheap US dollar, strong imports erode Brazil's trade surplus

  Brazil's trade surplus narrowed to a 5 and a half year low in January as a cheaper dollar and rising consumer demand pushed imports to a record high. Imports increased to 12.3 billion US dollars in January from 10.6 billion in December.