Economy

Friday, May 11th 2007 - 21:00 UTC
China's trade surplus almost doubles in four months of 2007

China's April trade surplus more than doubled from March, the government said Friday, as a mission on a US tour signed billion-dollar deals in a bid to narrow the trade gap.
Friday, May 11th 2007 - 21:00 UTC
Peru optimistic about ratification of FTA with the US

Peru's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism Mercedes Araoz announced that preliminary amendments to the United States-Peru Free Trade Agreement will be ready sometime next week enabling its ratification by the US Congress.
Wednesday, May 9th 2007 - 21:00 UTC
Chile: ASEXMA urges government to act on low dollar

After the U.S. dollar hit a new low last Friday, Patricia Pérez, president of the Export Manufacturing Association (Asexma), warned of the serious threat posed to Chile's exporters and manufacturers.
Wednesday, May 9th 2007 - 21:00 UTC
EU threatens total ban on imports of Brazilian beef

Animal health authorities in Brazil have been told in no uncertain terms that the EU will impose a total ban on imports of beef by the end of the year unless standards of welfare, traceability and residue testing match those of Europe.
Wednesday, May 9th 2007 - 21:00 UTC
Fed leaves rates unchanged at 5.25% but main “concern” is inflation

In a move widely expected the United States Federal Reserve kept its main interest rate on hold at 5.25%, but warned that its predominant policy concerns remains “the risk that inflation will fail to moderate as expected”.
Wednesday, May 9th 2007 - 21:00 UTC
WTO asks Chile do drop tariff barriers on Argentine wheat and flour

The World Trade Organization has ruled that Chile should not apply tariff barriers to the price of Argentine wheat and flour. The ruling was a response Chile's final appeal to the WTO in the lengthy trade dispute with Argentina that began in 2000.
Tuesday, May 8th 2007 - 21:00 UTC
On tenth anniversary of crisis Asia pools financial reserves

Asian finance ministers have agreed plans to pool the region's vast financial reserves to protect their currencies from speculative attack. The agreement, reached at a meeting in Japan, comes almost 10 years after speculators triggered an economic crisis across the region in 1997.
Monday, May 7th 2007 - 21:00 UTC
New record for copper but US dollar in Chile keeps falling

Copper prices rose to a ten-month record high Friday of US$ 3.73 per pound at the London Metal Exchange. This helped push the value of the U.S. dollar in Chilean money markets to new lows and led speculation about the effects this might have in the country's economy.
Monday, May 7th 2007 - 21:00 UTC
April retail prices hike questions Uruguay's inflationary target

Alarm bells are ringing in Uruguay following the release of April's Consumer Prices Index, 1.22% totaling 4.58% in the first four months of 2007 and 8.11% in the last twelve months, when the overall target for this year was established in the range of 4.5% to 6.5%.
Friday, May 4th 2007 - 21:00 UTC
Brazilian stocks record; Bovespa index above 50.000 points

Brazilian stocks climbed Thursday to a new record pushing the benchmark Bovespa index above 50,000 for the first time. The index of most-traded shares on the Sao Paulo exchange rose 746.68 or 1.5% to 50,218.22.