United States mortgage applications rose last week with both new purchases and re-financings driven up by the lowest long-term home loan rates since early December, according to a report from the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Wall Street shares rebounded Wednesday after a stocks sell-off in Europe prompted by continued concerns about the US economy and mortgage industry. Asian markets were also volatile reflecting similar sensitivity.
China will pursue gradual reform in the foreign exchange market this year and will aim to keep the currency basically stable, the People's Bank of China said on Monday. The central bank also said that while it was willing to accelerate financial reforms it needed more time to reduce its trade surplus.
United States is prepared to reduce agricultural subsidies but wants to ensure market access for goods and services, President George W. Bush said on Saturday in Uruguay, the second leg of his five countries tour of Latin America.
Standing next to visiting US president George Bush, Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez said Saturday his country supports an open integration process for the region, but is also fully supportive of a strong regional integration process.
In spite of the simultaneous blockading by Argentine pickets of the three bridges leading to Uruguay, President Tabare Vazquez reiterated during a joint press conference on Saturday next to visiting US President George Bush that he will not negotiate while the blockades persist.
In an effort to ensure domestic supply and contain inflation Argentina announced Thursday the temporarily suspension of wheat and flour exports.
Foot and mouth disease multination sanitary missions will begin acting in the second half of March along the common borders of Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil and Bolivia, where FAM is endemic revealed Uruguayan authorities.
Chile's LAN was chosen as the premier airline in Central and South America by U.S. magazine Global Traveler. The company received the award based on a reader survey conducted by the magazine between February and August of last year.
The European Central Bank raised its key interest rate 25 points to 3.75% in an attempt to keep inflation under control and in the United Kingdom the Bank of England left rates unchanged at 5.25%.