Economy

• Saturday, November 26th 2011 - 03:16 UTC

  Bolivia admits 26.1% live in extreme poverty but not on the hunger fringe

  

  The Bolivian government strongly rejected a statement from a FAO (UN Food and Agriculture Organization) official saying that 26% of the population (2.5 million people) is on the hunger fringe since they can not satisfy their basic food needs.

• Saturday, November 26th 2011 - 03:15 UTC

  Cuba opens bank loans for small businesses, private farmers and house repair

  

  Cuba has authorised banks to loan money to small businesses, private farmers and people who want to repair or build homes - a revolutionary step for the island's government.

• Saturday, November 26th 2011 - 03:12 UTC

  FAO estimates record oilseed production but soybean crop will be down

  

  Global oilseed production is estimated at record 472 million tons in the 2011-12 marketing year starting October but the growth in output will be subdued, FAO said in a report. Similarly soy bean production is expected to fall to 260.7 million tons from 265.8 million in 2010/2011.

• Friday, November 25th 2011 - 13:46 UTC

  Falklands’ by-election December 15: two seats on dispute

  

  Following the resignation of MLAs Emma Edwards (Stanley Constituency) and Bill Luxton (Camp Constituency) nominations have now been confirmed for the forthcoming Falkland Islands double bye-election on the 15th December.

• Friday, November 25th 2011 - 06:50 UTC

  “It’s very tough living inside Mercosur”, admits Uruguayan head of the Industries chamber

  

  Uruguay’s president of the Chamber of Industries, (CIU) Washington Burghi said that relations with Mercosur partners are becoming ever so complicated and if these problems are not addressed “we will be in serious trouble because the whole world is going through tough situations”.

• Friday, November 25th 2011 - 04:34 UTC

  Largest container vessel to visit South America calls in Peruvian and Chilean ports

  

  The largest ever container vessel to have docked in South America is currently in Valparaíso, Chile, after having called in Peru’s El Callao and Iquique in northern Chile.

• Friday, November 25th 2011 - 02:48 UTC

  Fitch downgrades Portugal’s rating to junk status; pressure mounting on Spain

  

  Rating agency Fitch downgraded Portugal's rating to junk status, citing large fiscal imbalances, high debts and the risks to its EU-mandated austerity program from a worsening economic outlook.

• Friday, November 25th 2011 - 01:05 UTC

  Argentina officially declares “Uruguay is no tax haven” and disagrees with Sarkozy

  

  The Argentine ambassador in Uruguay, Dante Dovena said this week that French president Nicholas Sarkozy statement at the G20 summit, in reference to Uruguay (as a tax haven) is not shared by his government.

• Thursday, November 24th 2011 - 22:57 UTC

  Mercosur calls on Doha Round for an end of all farm export incentives by 2013

  

  Agriculture ministers from Mercosur full members plus Chile and Bolivia, as members of the Agriculture Council of the South, CAS, urged a quick conclusion of the World Trade Organization Doha Round negotiations to help combat poverty and ensure food security.

• Thursday, November 24th 2011 - 15:18 UTC

  Chilean economy slows down as the mining sector contracts 6.5% in third quarter

  

  Chile's economy grew a seasonally adjusted 0.6% in the third quarter from the second quarter of 2011, slowing from a downwardly revised 1.3% in the previous quarter.