Economy

• Friday, January 25th 2013 - 04:05 UTC

  “Turn the lights on” electricity rates are down Rousseff tells fellow Brazilians

  

  Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff announced this week a deeper-than-expected cut in electricity rates, hoping to contain a recent spike in inflation, give manufacturers a boost and prop the flat economy.

• Friday, January 25th 2013 - 04:01 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez ‘knocks out’ governors from influencing mid term election

  

  The government of President Cristina Fernandez implemented a new system whereby mayors will be able to directly apply for financial assistance for their districts, thus bypassing governors. Earlier in the week the most outstanding governor and (political ally) Daniel Scioli from Buenos Aires province had formally requested reconsideration of the tax sharing program.

• Thursday, January 24th 2013 - 07:55 UTC

  “Biotic” additives nutritionally feasible as growth promoters in animal husbandry

  

  Research in Brazil has revealed that so-called 'biotic' additives are nutritionally feasible replacements for growth promoters and the animal husbandry indices of animals treated with these additives were similar to those of animals fed the normal rations and the use of additives contributed to improvements in the meat quality.

• Thursday, January 24th 2013 - 05:58 UTC

  LatinFocus forecasts regional GDP to expand 3.7% and average inflation 6.6%

  

  LatinFocus Consensus Forecast panellists expect regional GDP to expand 3.7% this year, following an estimated 2.9% increase recorded in 2012. The stable figure reflects rosier prospects for Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela, which were offset by downward revisions to Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay.

• Thursday, January 24th 2013 - 01:14 UTC

  Brazilian industry claims Mercosur is ‘paralyzed’ and blasts Argentina’s ‘illegal barriers’ on trade

  

  Brazil’s powerful manufacturers’ lobby openly criticized the “illegal barriers” imposed by the government of President Cristina Fernandez on Brazilian produce, and also lashed at President Dilma Rousseff for her administration’s “permissive attitude” towards Buenos Aires, a position that has “paralyzed Mercosur”.

• Thursday, January 24th 2013 - 00:25 UTC

  For Santander bank, “Brazil is the most important country in the world”

  

  Banco Santander chairman Emilio Botin denied this week that he is selling his company’s assets in Brazil and said his bank is only interested in “buying” in Latinamerica’s leading economy.

• Wednesday, January 23rd 2013 - 23:58 UTC

  EU wooing Latinamerica that is focused on China, now its leading trade partner

  

  Several European leaders among which the president of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy and the head of EU diplomacy Catherine Ashton are touring several Latinamerican countries with the purpose of strengthening relations with a region in full development but which lately has been increasingly focused on China.

• Wednesday, January 23rd 2013 - 09:21 UTC

  Davos 2013 expects less crisis management and a more dynamic vision

  

  The world's political and business elite gather in the snow-covered resort of Davos from Wednesday, aiming to instil some confidence in the global economy amid tentative signs of recovery.

• Tuesday, January 22nd 2013 - 18:29 UTC

  UN Latam economic commission publishes Yearbook with updated stats on the region

  

  In Latin America and the Caribbean 94% of primary-school age children attended school, but the figure was down to 75% for secondary level of education. Likewise the average number of people on technical or university courses was three times higher in the richest quintile than in the poorest quintile, according to data collected by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

• Tuesday, January 22nd 2013 - 15:50 UTC

  Global unemployment again on the rise; situation particularly bleak for youth

  

  Global unemployment rose in 2012 after falling for two straight years and could further increase in 2013, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has warned in a new report. The number of unemployed worldwide rose by 4.2 million in 2012 to over 197 million, a 5.9% unemployment rate, according to Global Employment Trends 2013.