Brazil's GDP is forecasted to expand 5.2% in 2007, up from the original 4.5%, said the Applied Economics Research Institute, IPEA, an office from the Brazilian Executive. The quarterly report indicates that the industrial sector is estimated to grow 6% this year, up 0.8 percentage points above the first estimate.
Brazil's government managed energy firm Petrobras announced plans on Monday to invest up to one billion US dollars in Bolivia to increase natural gas production and look for new reserves of the fuel.
Brazil and Argentina have successfully launched a rocket into space in the first joint space mission by the two South American countries. The liftoff had been delayed four times because of weather conditions, reported Andreia Araujo from the Brazilian Space Agency.
The Brazilian government has suffered a major defeat over a key financial transactions tax which accounts for 20 billion US dollars in annual revenue. The bill fell four votes short of at least 49 needed in the Senate to renew the tax, known as the CPMF.
Brazil's government controlled oil corporation Petrobras took a major step this week to increase production from the Roncador field in the Campos Basin offshore Brazil.
Brazil's economy expanded 5.7% in the third quarter, boosted by big gains in the agricultural and industrial sectors, and it appeared on track to grow 5% for the year, according to government figures.
Beef exports are likely to rise in 2008 as Russia resumes importing meat from Brazil, the Brazilian Beef Exporters Association (Abiec) said in Sao Paulo.
Changes in Argentina are an opportunity for closer political links and economic ties with Brazil while the two leading South American countries work in the construction of a Mercosur extending from the Caribbean to Patagonia, said Brazil's Foreign Affairs minister Celso Amorim.
The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency this week praised Brazil's nuclear energy programme while visiting a uranium enrichment plant capable of producing fuel for nuclear reactors.
Brazil's government owned Petrobras confirmed this week the discovery of new natural gas reservoirs to the north of the Camarupim field, in the Espírito Santo Basin, off the southeastern coast of the country.