Economy

Tuesday, May 7th 2013 - 09:00 UTC
Rousseff creates ministry for small businesses and announces soft loans

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff announced on Monday a reduction in the interest rate on public loans for owners of small businesses from 8% to 5% and inaugurated the Secretariat for Micro and Small Businesses which will have the category of a ministry.
Tuesday, May 7th 2013 - 05:49 UTC
Cristina Fernandez pledges ‘no Peso devaluation’, but markets are not convinced

In a clear signal to the markets, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner strongly rejected on Monday a possible devaluation of the Argentine Peso and targeted sectors advocating for such a measure, as she warned that “those hoping to profit from it will have to wait for a different Government.”
Monday, May 6th 2013 - 07:22 UTC
Unemployment in the US falls to a four-year low of 7.5%

The US economy showed last month why it remains the envy of industrialized nations: in the face of tax increases and federal spending cuts, employers added a solid 165,000 jobs in April, and the unemployment rate dropped to a four-year low of 7.5%.
Monday, May 6th 2013 - 05:18 UTC
Bolivia full incorporation to Mercosur now rests on legislative approval from other members

Bolivia has completed the presentation of its Mercosur incorporation protocol, which opens the way for the parliaments of the different member-countries to begin considering and ratifying her full membership. Once completed Bolivia becomes the sixth full member next to Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Monday, May 6th 2013 - 01:55 UTC
Euro-zone admits deeper recession and higher unemployment in 2013

The recession in the Euro-zone will be worse than expected with unemployment remaining at record levels, says the EU in its latest economic forecast. The EU said that GDP in the 17 Euro-zone countries will shrink by 0.4% this year, better than the 0.6% for 2012 but 0.1% points worse than the EU had forecast back in February.
Monday, May 6th 2013 - 00:48 UTC
Brazil and Argentina working to find a long-standing agreement on trade, says Marco Aurelio

Brazil and Argentina are trying to address their economic and trade differences so that they can reach a long-standing, long term solution, said Marco Aurelio García, the Brazilian Executive advisor on foreign issues and trouble shooter for this kind of conflicts.
Monday, May 6th 2013 - 00:34 UTC
Uruguayans on average have to work 128 days a year to pay their taxes

Uruguayans on average work 128 days, over a third of the year to pay taxes, according to a report from a local lobby group based on the “Tax-free day” which supposedly marks the end of the time dedicated to contribute to the treasury.
Saturday, May 4th 2013 - 10:03 UTC
Uruguay admits trade and economic relations with Argentina ‘couldn’t be worse’

Vice-president Danilo Astori admitted on Friday that economic-trade relations with Argentina continue to deteriorate and seriously question Mercosur and Uruguay must therefore speed the search for other alternatives.
Saturday, May 4th 2013 - 09:32 UTC
Falkland Islands’ census shows there are more new homes than new people

The release of further data from the 2012 Census shows that the Falkland Islands continues to work its magic on immigrants who may have arrived with short term plans but have settled for ten or more years and that the ratio of women to men in the Islands has increased considerably over the last four decades.
Saturday, May 4th 2013 - 09:19 UTC
New Wyoming lithium deposit could meet all US demand

By John C.K. Daly - The US currently imports more than 80% of the lithium it uses, with the silvery metal winding up in batteries from cell phones to electric cars.