Economy

• Thursday, August 30th 2012 - 04:32 UTC

  Brazil cuts benchmark rate for ninth time running to an all time low of 7.5%

  

  Brazil’s central bank cut the benchmark interest rate for the ninth straight time on Wednesday to an all-time low of 7.5%, as policymakers keep up efforts to bolster a slow-moving economy which is the world's sixth-largest.

• Thursday, August 30th 2012 - 04:25 UTC

  Venezuelan refinery ‘cooling down’; independent report points to serious lack of maintenance

  

  Venezuela is carrying out an “exhaustive” inspection of its biggest refinery before attempting to restart processing after extinguishing a four-day fire yesterday caused by an explosion that killed 48 people and left hundreds homeless.

• Thursday, August 30th 2012 - 04:20 UTC

  Brazilian government launches a new round of stimuli to prop consumption

  

  Brazil's government unveiled a host of new measures on Wednesday aimed at increasing investment and consumption as it expanded efforts to boost a sluggish recovery in the world's sixth-largest economy.

• Thursday, August 30th 2012 - 04:05 UTC

  Brazilians zest for beauty has turned the industry into the world’s third strongest

  

  Since an estimated 40 million people have joined the middle class in the past decade in Brazil, now the world’s sixth-largest economy, the beauty industry is booming and has become the third in importance globally.

• Thursday, August 30th 2012 - 03:57 UTC

  Canadian company exports first gold doré bar from Paraguayan mine

  

  Latin American Minerals Inc., Lampa, announced on Wednesday the delivery of the first gold doré bar produced at its Paso Yobai Gold Project pilot plant in Paraguay, to the Johnson Matthey Ltd. gold refinery in Brampton, Ontario.

• Wednesday, August 29th 2012 - 21:58 UTC

  US chicken business hit by grains’ costs will need to raise consumer prices

  

  Brazil's JBS SA, the world's biggest meatpacker, sees rising costs for feed grains hitting its US chicken business mainly in the fourth quarter and will need to raise prices accordingly.

• Wednesday, August 29th 2012 - 21:16 UTC

  EU threatens to impose tariffs on bio-diesel imported from Argentina

  

  The European Union threatened on Wednesday to impose tariffs on bio-diesel imported from Argentina and also Indonesia. The announcement was made today on the bloc’s Official Gazette.

• Wednesday, August 29th 2012 - 06:10 UTC

  Brazilian court orders resumption of work at controversial dam in the Amazon

  

  Brazil's Supreme Court has approved the resumption of work on the controversial 13 billion dollars Belo Monte dam in the Amazon, which was stopped earlier this month after protests from indigenous groups.

• Wednesday, August 29th 2012 - 06:05 UTC

  Clinton and Blair praise Brazil’s economic and social advance in two decades

  

  Brazil appears to have the best long-term prospects among rising economic powers, thanks to its stable policy framework, ample natural resources and good relationship with its neighbours, former U.S. President Bill Clinton said on Tuesday in a ringing endorsement of an economy that has struggled lately.

• Wednesday, August 29th 2012 - 05:59 UTC

  Brazil to deploy first floating oil terminal for refueling tankers in the high seas

  

  Brazil’s energy giant Petrobras said on Tuesday it will deploy the world’s first floating oil terminal capable of refueling tankers on the high seas.