Economy

• Thursday, March 15th 2012 - 00:23 UTC

  All but four of US main banks pass ‘strain test’; Citi among the failed

  

  All but four of 19 major United States banks got a green light yesterday to boost dividends and buy back shares after the Federal Reserve declared them strong enough to survive another serious recession.

• Thursday, March 15th 2012 - 00:17 UTC

  With soaring beef prices cattle rustling is an industry in the Canadian prairies

  

  A rope and a good sturdy branch are no longer an option, or an effective deterrent for the lowlife curs stealing cows in the Canadian province of Alberta. Cattle rustling still occur in the not-so-wild west, with more than 6.000 head stolen annually by thieves prowling the prairies for heifers to heist and sell.

• Wednesday, March 14th 2012 - 23:52 UTC

  Brazilian vessel looses half 5.000 cattle on board and has no port to dock

  

  An animal welfare disaster resulting in the death of more than half the 5.000 cattle on board a Brazilian-owned live export ship bound for Egypt over the past fortnight has prompted renewed calls to ban the industry.

• Wednesday, March 14th 2012 - 02:56 UTC

  Argentine ‘official’ February inflation at 0.7%: private estimates, 1.65%

  

  Argentine inflation reached 0.7% in February against the previous month, and accumulated a 1.7% increase in 2012 so far, according to the Indec national statistics bureau. This is less than half the index from the private agencies and released as the •Congress index”, which in February marked 1.65% and

• Wednesday, March 14th 2012 - 01:57 UTC

  Ports in Argentina resume grain loading as dock-workers return to work

  

  Argentine dock-workers on Tuesday suspended a 12-day-old strike that had delayed more than 500 million dollars in grains shipments while forcing cargo vessels to drop anchor along the country's waterways.

• Wednesday, March 14th 2012 - 00:07 UTC

  Brazil turns protectionist: wants Mexico to limit car exports to 1.4bn in three years

  

  Brazil's government wants Mexico to impose quotas on its own auto exports to the South American nation to ensure the total value does not exceed 1.4 billion dollars over the next three years, the development, industry and foreign trade ministry said.

• Tuesday, March 13th 2012 - 07:26 UTC

  Brazil extends 6% tax on foreign loans and bonds to help weaken the Real

  

  Brazil extended on Monday a 6% tax on foreign loans and bonds issued abroad by local companies to include lending with duration of as long as five years, the third measure taken this month to weaken the Real. Since March 1, the currency has weakened 5.6%.

• Tuesday, March 13th 2012 - 07:21 UTC

  “Argentina completely ignores the Mercosur treaty and spirit” says Uruguay

  

  Uruguayan Vice-president Danilo Astori strongly criticized the current situation in Mercosur blasting protectionist measures of both Argentina and Brazil, which together with Paraguay are full members of the block

• Tuesday, March 13th 2012 - 07:07 UTC

  India confirms ban on cotton exports; China furious makes official complaint

  

  India will keep a controversial ban on its cotton exports for now after ministers failed to agree its fate at the weekend, even after top buyer China had criticised the move, which boosted global prices.

• Tuesday, March 13th 2012 - 07:03 UTC

  Goldman Sachs says Brazil’ Real needs to decline 20% to remain competitive

  

  Jim O'Neill, chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, lent his support to Brazilian policy makers' efforts to weaken the Real, saying it needs to decline 20% to keep Latin America's biggest economy competitive.