Economy

• Wednesday, December 18th 2013 - 06:51 UTC

  Argentine mobile phone companies have to adjust rates and charge by the second

  

  Mobile phone companies operating in Argentina will have 60 days to adjust all their rates and charge by the second, Federal Planning Minister Julio De Vido and Communications Secretary Norberto Berner confirmed in a news conference. Companies Personal, Movistar and Claro will only have 15 days to implement the change for new customers according to the resolution published in the Official Gazette.

• Tuesday, December 17th 2013 - 19:10 UTC

  Uruguay must address fiscal policy (and inflation) suggests leading private bank

  

  The US dollar is poised to continue consolidating during 2014 in Uruguay, and will most probably by the end of the year reach 24 Pesos from the current 21 Pesos, according to Itaú, one of the leading private banks in the country, which also warned about inflation and the fiscal deficit.

• Tuesday, December 17th 2013 - 17:10 UTC

  Volcker rule making banking 'boring' (and limiting speculation) enforced in US financial system

  

  All five US financial regulators have approved the Volcker rule, designed to restrict the finance industry in the wake of the 2008-09 financial collapse. Named after former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker, it bans banks from using their own funds for trading activities and it is considered the centerpiece of the 2010 banking reform legislation known as Dodd-Frank.Banks will have until 21 July 2015 to comply with the rules.

• Tuesday, December 17th 2013 - 03:04 UTC

  Indian designed tablet goes on sale in the UK at £30 (48 US dollars)

  

  A tablet costing £30 (48 US dollars) has gone on sale in the UK. The UbiSlate 7Ci, made by UK-based company Datawind, is the commercial version of the Aakash 2 tablet, which was originally launched in India, where it is mainly used by students and was designed to provide cheap internet access to help improve education.

• Tuesday, December 17th 2013 - 02:53 UTC

  Ireland exits bailout program but difficulties remain; Portugal next in the queue

  

  Ireland's prime minister has marked the end of the country's bailout program with a speech to the nation. In a televised address, Enda Kenny said Ireland's “good name and our credibility” had been restored. Meanwhile Portugal could be the next in the list after a review of the economy was advanced six months.

• Tuesday, December 17th 2013 - 02:28 UTC

  Uruguayan economy on track to 4.1% growth this year and in 2014

  

  The Uruguayan economy contracted 0.7% in the third quarter compared to the previous quarter, although it jumped 3.3% over the same period a year ago, according to the latest release from the Central bank in Montevideo. During the second quarter, the expansion had reached 2.4%, and 1.5% previous to that.

• Monday, December 16th 2013 - 09:30 UTC

  Brazilian economy walking on “two crippled legs” argues Minister Mantega

  

  The Brazilian economy is walking with “two crippled legs” according to Finance Minister Guido Mantega who put the blame on the effects of the international slowdown with different rates of recovery, and the lack of credit to prop consumer spending.

• Saturday, December 14th 2013 - 07:03 UTC

  Falkland Islands progress in renewable energy surprises Chilean experts.

  

  Three experts in the use of renewable energy who were visiting the Falkland Islands this week as the guests of the Falkland Islands Government declared themselves surprised by extent of the efforts made in the Islands to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

• Saturday, December 14th 2013 - 06:26 UTC

  Bank of England concerned about potential for a UK housing market bubble

  

  Bank of England governor Mark Carney has said he is concerned about the “potential” for a UK housing market bubble, but will tighten lending requirements if necessary. Meanwhile, a survey suggested house prices will continue “surging ahead”.

• Saturday, December 14th 2013 - 06:11 UTC

  Argentine central bank issues hard currency bonds hoping to lure cereal exporters

  

  The Argentine Central Bank, starved of dollars and declining international reserves started to trade new short-term dollar-denominate bonds in order to encourage the farm sector to sell the crops they are still holding on to. It is estimated that over 3bn dollars in mainly soybeans remain in the hands of farmers and cereal exporters.