Economy

• Wednesday, February 29th 2012 - 01:24 UTC

  Argentina urges industry and business to cut imports from the UK

  

  The Buenos Aires media, basically the ambito.com site reports that Argentine industry and business leaders were contacted by the Ministry of Industry which tried to persuade them from buying British supplies.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2012 - 17:37 UTC

  Santiago de Chile has the tallest building in South America

  

  Santiago de Chile has the highest skyscraper in South America: the Gran Torre Costanera reached this condition when it surpassed the 300 metres height. The 107.125 square metres block has been designed by Chilean architects Alemparte, Barreda & Associates together with Pelli, Clarke, Pelli Architects, responsible for the Petrona Towers in Kuala Lampur.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2012 - 05:02 UTC

  Brazil will cut the benchmark interest rate “to less than 10%” this year

  

  Brazilian central bank survey showing interest rate levels are inconsistent with the country’s inflation target won’t alter policy makers’ strategy of lowering borrowing costs further, bank President Alexandre Tombini said.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2012 - 04:21 UTC

  Europe’s biggest bank with record profits from operations in Latam and Asia

  

  HSBC Holdings Plc said a 1 billion dollars increase in its wages bill in Brazil, China and other emerging markets was the price of avoiding the stagnant growth which has dogged some rival lenders more dependent on Europe.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2012 - 01:58 UTC

  Mercosur/Gulf states closer to trade agreement but leaving petrochemicals for later

  

  Brazil is eager to finalize a free trade agreement between the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) and the Mercosur bloc but believes the petrochemicals sector will be exempted until further study after the signing, said Brazilian Trade and Industry Minister Fernando Pimentel.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2012 - 01:51 UTC

  YPF feeling the noose from Argentina; Madrid doing its best to defend Spanish interest

  

  Foreign Affairs minister Jose Manuel García-Margallo assured that the Spanish government “is doing what must be done” to defend the interests of Spanish companies in Argentina, but has avoided releasing details.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2012 - 00:27 UTC

  EC report on trade and investments criticizes Mercosur protectionism

  

  The European Commission in its latest report on trade and investments complains about Mercosur protectionist policies, restrictions to maritime transport and to the export of commodities particularly from Brazil and Argentina.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2012 - 00:23 UTC

  Emerging economies decided to challenge US predominance in the World Bank

  

  Emerging economies said on Sunday that they will challenge a tradition that has placed an American at the head of the World Bank for decades, as the President Obama administration shows sensitivity to the need for change at global institutions.

• Monday, February 27th 2012 - 17:39 UTC

  China at turning point: current model is unsustainable says the World Bank

  

  The World Bank has warned China’s government that it must relax its grip on industry and move towards a free-market economy.

• Monday, February 27th 2012 - 04:47 UTC

  G-20 wants second 2 trillion dollars global Euro-zone rescue package by next April

  

  The world's leading economies worked to line up a deal in April on a second global rescue package worth nearly 2 trillion dollars to stop the Euro-zone sovereign debt crisis from spreading and putting at risk the tentative recovery.