
Mercosur members have been added to Ecuador’s list of potential rice suppliers as the Andean country seeks to import rice to keep its stocks full, as they have been significantly depleted due to crop issues. Ecuador shortfall production could reach some 200,000 tons.

Julie Kozack, Director of the IMF Communication Department held her weekly media conference and made some announcements referred to the current IMF/|Argentine negotiations. Ms. Kozack revealed that IMF/Argentina negotiations are ongoing, did not advance more details on possible closing dates and denied the existence of a letter from Chinese officials urging a quick solution to the Argentine case. Such as information was leaked in Argentina by government sources. Finally Ms Kozack anticipated that IMF officials and staff will be on holidays beginning July 31st until 11 August.

The blue (a euphemism for black market) dollar hit another record Thursday in Argentina, closing at AR$ 512 / US$ 1, for a total increase of AR$ 166 so far this year which represented a 48% rise since closing 2022 at AR$ 346, it was reported in Buenos Aires. The gap between the informal dollar and the official exchange rate stands at 93.7%.

The “blue” (a euphemism for “black market”) dollar Wednesday pierced the AR$ $500 barrier and set a new record high, it was reported in Buenos Aires. Meanwhile, the official exchange rate also went up despite the Central Bank (BCRA) selling some of its reserves.

China's top financial regulators announced this week that financial support measures for qualified real estate developers, taken in November 2020, will be extended through the end of 2024, in order to continue to guide more financial support for firms and to ensure deliveries of homes.

Brazil’s annual inflation released on Tuesday showed consumer prices rose 3,16% year to year, down from 3,94% in May. This means annual inflation has dropped from the 12,13% peak in 2022 clearing the way for the central bank to begin cutting interest rates at its next meeting.

According to the monthly Consumer Indebtedness Survey (Peic) from the Brazilian National Confederation of Commerce of Goods, Services, and Tourism (CNC) released Tuesday, 78.5% of the families in South America's largest economy are indebted and behind in their payments, Agencia Brasil reported.

At least 15 former Latin American presidents convened in Asunción for the two-day 2023 Latin American Forum of Ideas held at the South American Football Confederation's (Conmebol) Convention Center in Luque, Paraguay. The opening ceremony was attended by incumbent President Mario Abdo Benítez.

The blue (a euphemism for black market) dollar closed at AR$ 493 / AR$ 498 (buy / sale) Tuesday, hitting an all-time high following an AR$ 5 increase so far this week, it was reported in Buenos Aires financial circles. At some point Tuesday it reached AR$ 499.

According to a report from the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) released Monday, Latin America and the Caribbean attracted a record volume of foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2022 with US$ 224.58 billion injected, which represented a 55.2% increase from 2021.