
Just days after finalizing the hostile takeover of Spanish-owned oil and gas company YPF, the Argentine government got even more hostile, freezing imports of Spain’s signature delicacy: ham.

The Argentine Chamber of Integrated Fruit Exporters, CAFI reported that apple and pear exports continued a sharp decline in terms of exported volume, with a downfall of 30% (about 90.000 tons in total) compared to the previous year and 15% less in relation to 2010.

A top visiting German trade official appealed to Brazilian companies Thursday to invest in Europe's largest economy, particularly in the former East Germany taking advantage of the country’s know-how.

Spain told its banks on Friday to set aside another 30 billion Euros to cover potential losses on real estate and ordered an independent audit of their debts, an effort to restore confidence in a sector that is at the heart of the country's financial crisis.

Spain’s plan to rid banks of toxic real estate assets is reviving the politically heated debate over how creditors and taxpayers should share the vast losses still being incurred by the Euro zone debt crisis. Nowhere is the issue in sharper relief than in Ireland.

Brazilian meatpacker JBS SA has sold one of its two units based in San Jose, Argentina, the company said in statement Wednesday. The unit was sold for 16.5 million dollars to a group of local cooperatives and the provincial government, which will run the operation.

April inflation in Argentina averaged 2.16% accumulating 23.45% in the last twelve months, --more than double the official index-- according to the monthly release from opposition members of Congress based on information from private economic consultants.

The North Falkland basin explorer Desire Petroleum has revealed the findings of an economic assessment of the group’s stake in the Sea Lion oil discovery, based on a high level development concept and economic review by Senergy from the UK.

Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota praised the “great political convergence” between Argentina and Brazil and assured that any existing problems related to the bilateral trade “do not tarnish this very strong reality.”

China's export and import growth slowed in April raising fears about a sharp slowdown in its economy and triggering calls for monetary policy easing. Exports rose by 4.9% in April from a year earlier, down from the 8.9% annual growth seen in the previous month, a sign that global demand may be slowing.