Economy

• Monday, February 17th 2014 - 09:23 UTC

  Euro-zone growth still fragile but stronger than expected at the end of 2013

  

  Economic growth across the Euro-zone was stronger than expected at the end of 2013, according to official figures, raising hopes the recovery is gaining a foothold. Gross domestic product grew by 0.3% in the October-December period from the previous quarter, said Eurostat, the European Union’s statistics office. That amounts to an annualized rate of about 1.2 %.

• Monday, February 17th 2014 - 09:09 UTC

  Uruguay's budget surplus reached 2.3% of GDP in 2013

  

  Despite a decade of sustained growth Uruguay's fiscal deficit reached 2.3% of GDP last year, which is an improvement over 2012, when it reached 2.8%, but above the government's target of 2.1%. In money terms this means the budget red was equivalent to 1.154bn dollars, including 350 million dollar losses from government owned companies.

• Monday, February 17th 2014 - 09:03 UTC

  Argentina vs hedge funds: second chapter of appeal before the US Supreme Court

  

  The Argentine government will appeal on Monday before the US Supreme Court for the second time against the hedge funds claim. The Supreme Court is the last judiciary step in the dispute.

• Saturday, February 15th 2014 - 10:21 UTC

  Economic activity down for a second straight month in Brazil

  

  Brazilian economic activity fell for the second straight month in December, declining 1.35% relative to November, the Central Bank said in a report Friday. The Economic Activity Index, IBC-Br, considered a reliable predictor of GDP performance, was up 2.57% for all of 2013.

• Saturday, February 15th 2014 - 07:41 UTC

  Lula da Silva tries to convince top US corporations and banks to invest in Brazil

  

  Former president Lula da Silva lobbied strongly on Thursday in New York trying to convince US investors to make business in Brazil during a conference to members of the American Society and Council of Americas, which organized the event.

• Saturday, February 15th 2014 - 05:54 UTC

  Despite New Year celebration, China's January inflation remained steady at 2.5%

  

  China's inflation rate remained subdued in January, despite rising food prices during the New Year celebrations. Consumer prices held steady at 2.5% from a year earlier, which was slightly higher than many economists expected.

• Saturday, February 15th 2014 - 05:46 UTC

  Despite adverse climate Brazil expects record harvest: 193.6 million tons

  

  Weeks of drought and heat have hit Brazil's soy and corn production, but the agriculture ministry still predicted a record 2014 harvest. Corn production is set to total 75.5 million metric tons, down from a January estimate of 79 million, state food supply agency Conab said in its monthly report.

• Friday, February 14th 2014 - 08:38 UTC

  Falklands coming Illex season encouraging: 51 licenses have already been taken

  

  The Falkland Islands coming Illex season has been described as encouraging because out of 100 available jigger licenses 51 have been taken up and £5.6 million has been received so far, confirmed Director of Fisheries John Barton.

• Thursday, February 13th 2014 - 23:05 UTC

  Uruguay has an important role to play in promoting better relations say visiting delegates to Falkland Islands

  

  The cross-party delegation of Uruguayan parliamentarians currently visiting the Falkland Islands appear quite unmoved by what their leader Jaime Trobo described as the “dust storm” that their visit had created both at home in Uruguay and in neighbouring Argentina.

• Thursday, February 13th 2014 - 19:30 UTC

  The Golden Age of Gas, Possibly: Interview with the IEA

  

  The potential for a golden age of gas comes along with a big “if” regarding environmental and social impact. The International Energy Agency (IEA)—the “global energy authority”--believes that this age of gas can be golden, and that unconventional gas can be produced in an environmentally acceptable way.