Economy

• Wednesday, March 21st 2012 - 06:32 UTC

  Argentina denies protectionism; claims imports in 2011 soared 30%

  

  Foreign Affairs minister Hector Timerman said on Tuesday “there is no country” in the world that can say Argentina is protectionist and claimed it is the G20 member that saw imports soar most between 2010 and 2011.

• Wednesday, March 21st 2012 - 04:41 UTC

  Next Mercosur summit in Mendoza, June 26/28; Brazil takes the relay

  

  The next Mercosur presidential summit is scheduled to take place next 26/28 June in the city of Mendoza, when the rotating chair will be handed for the following six months to Brazil.

• Tuesday, March 20th 2012 - 23:51 UTC

  Spain vows to defend Repsol-YPF interests in Argentina; board meeting to decide on YPF profits

  

  Adding fuel to the quarrel between Argentina and Spain for disagreements over Spanish investors administrated YPF, Spanish Industry minister of José Manuel Soria vowed on Tuesday to defend his country’s interests.

• Tuesday, March 20th 2012 - 21:49 UTC

  Moody’s: Spain needs to implement more austerity; 4.000 town councils financially ‘non viable’

  

  Rating agency Moody's said on Tuesday that Spain's fiscal outlook remained challenging despite recently softened deficit targets. The announcement comes when the Secretary for Public administration admitted that 4.000 ‘ayuntamientos’ town councils in Spain are not financially viable.

• Tuesday, March 20th 2012 - 05:05 UTC

  Mujica promises to “fight to the death” for the future of Mercosur

  

  Uruguayan president Jose Mujica promised on Monday to ‘fight to the death’ for the future of Mercosur in spite of the fact that the group’s junior members Uruguay and Paraguay are suffering the most as Argentina and Brazil implement growing hurdles to trade.

• Tuesday, March 20th 2012 - 05:02 UTC

  WB backs selective use of capital controls when faced with massive inflows

  

  The World Bank’s new Latin America chief backed selective use of capital controls when inflows were creating asset bubbles or distorting foreign exchange markets. Hasan Tuluy, the Bank’s new vice-president for Latin America and the Caribbean, said while trade protectionism should be avoided, there was space for macro prudential measures.

• Tuesday, March 20th 2012 - 04:55 UTC

  Brazil is fastest growing travel and tourism economy in Latam; 7.8% in 2012

  

  Brazil is Latin America’s fastest-growing travel and tourism economy and direct contribution to GDP is forecast to grow at 7.8% in 2012.

• Tuesday, March 20th 2012 - 04:46 UTC

  Australian Senate approves law to tax 30% iron ore and coal mining companies

  

  The Australian Senate has pushed through into law a 30% tax on iron ore and coal mining companies. The tax will raise A$10.6bn (11.2bn dollars) over three years from major companies including BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Xtrata.

• Tuesday, March 20th 2012 - 01:24 UTC

  Rousseff administration will promote “buy Brazilian” policy to defend industry

  

  “As of this year Brazil will follow the US example giving a 25% margin of preference to local goods in government procurement”, said Fernando Pimentel, Minister for Development, Industry and Foreign Trade.

• Tuesday, March 20th 2012 - 01:19 UTC

  Drought punishing soy crops and yields in southern Brazil

  

  Drought over Brazil's southern soy growing states prompted analysts Agroconsult to strike 2.8 million tons from its forecast of the 2011/12 crop to 67.1 million tons from 69.9 million previously.