Economy

Saturday, January 4th 2014 - 04:38 UTC
Mantega releases crucial data to calm market anxiety about Brazil's accounts

Brazil's Finance Minister Guido Mantega insisted on Friday that the government is keeping spending under control as he sought to calm anxiety about the deterioration of the government's accounts. The minister said the primary budget surplus, (excess of revenue over expenditure before debt payments) would be above the goal of 73 billion Brazilian Reais for 2013 (30.5bn dollars), equivalent to about 1.5% of gross domestic product.
Friday, January 3rd 2014 - 23:34 UTC
Cristina Fernandez administration launches yet another price control program

Argentina's government formally launched on Friday its latest price control program as double-digit inflation sets the stage for tense annual wage talks in coming months. The one-year program sets prices on 194 supermarket items including staples like milk, meat and pasta as well as discretionary items such as beer and ice cream.
Friday, January 3rd 2014 - 23:15 UTC
Brazil posted its worst trade surplus since 2.000 at 2.56bn dollars

Brazil posted its lowest trade surplus in 13 years on Thursday, at 2.56 billion dollars for 2013, the trade and commerce ministry said, citing rising imports. The country's foreign trade association AEB had previously warned that 2013 could see the first full-year trade deficit since 2000, which compares with a 19,4bn dollars surplus in 2012
Friday, January 3rd 2014 - 18:52 UTC
Record exports in dollars for Uruguay in 2013, but prospects not so encouraging

Uruguayan exports in 2013 increased 4.8% in value and reached a record 9,155 billion dollars with soybean the main item and China the leading trade partner. The data was released by the government export promotion organization Uruguay XXI, which sometimes is over optimistic.
Friday, January 3rd 2014 - 18:40 UTC
'Andean super crop' quinoa opens the way for the UN Year of Family Farming

Increased production and consumption of quinoa, coupled with higher visibility of and greater scientific knowledge about the so-called “Andean super crop” is the legacy left to the world by the International Year of Quinoa 2013, the closing ceremonies of which were held in Bolivia and Peru.
Friday, January 3rd 2014 - 00:30 UTC
Chrysler becomes 100% Italian as FIAT buys remaining 41% stake

Shares in Italian car giant Fiat have jumped more than 15% following the announcement of its plan to buy the remaining 41% of Chrysler it does not own. Fiat has owned a majority stake in the US company since 2009.
Thursday, January 2nd 2014 - 18:21 UTC
Falklands 2014 oil industry major focus: how to develop the Sea Lion discovery

After a busy 2011 and 2012, 2013 was a relatively quiet year for exploration around the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean. The various companies involved in the region's nascent oil and gas industry preferred to spend the year focusing on seismic data acquisition campaigns and consolidating some of their assets.
Thursday, January 2nd 2014 - 15:35 UTC
New Year in Argentina brings: hikes in urban transport and fuel and promises of a capped basket

New Year arrived in Argentina with much needed rainfall relief, but also with a hefty increase in urban transport fares, the same with fuel prices at the pump and the promise of a list of 200 products included in a price agreement with the county’s major supermarkets and retailers.
Sunday, December 29th 2013 - 08:35 UTC
December inflation doubles in Brazil but at an annualized 5.51% remain on target

Brazil's general price index, known as the IGP-M, more than doubled in December, posting a rise of 0.60% compared with a 0.29% increase in November, the Getulio Vargas Foundation said Friday.
Sunday, December 29th 2013 - 08:30 UTC
Brazil ups taxes on debit cards and travelers checks to contain outgoing tourism

The Brazilian government said on Friday it will raise a tax on operations with debit cards and travelers checks made abroad, in a move that will raise the country's tax intake by 552 million Reais (234.65m dollars) per year.