Economy

• Saturday, July 9th 2011 - 06:47 UTC

  Inflation at its highest level in three years; concerns over food prices and social unrest

  

  Inflation in China has risen to its highest level for three years, despite a series of interest rate rises and curbs on bank lending. Prices in June rose 6.4% from a year earlier, well above the rate for May.

• Saturday, July 9th 2011 - 06:37 UTC

  US beef and poultry become highly competitive as costs soar in Mercosur

  

  Brazil’s JBS SA, the world’s biggest beef producer, is betting on a rebound in U.S. meat sales as a weak dollar makes production in the country as competitive as in emerging markets.

• Friday, July 8th 2011 - 20:25 UTC

  Decanter magazine highlights Chile as “wine producing paradise”

  

  The latest issue of U.K.-based Decanter magazine focused on the growing wine culture in Chile, a country it deemed a “grape growing and wine producing paradise” due its geographical diversity.

• Friday, July 8th 2011 - 15:25 UTC

  Falkland Islands: 64,000 visitors this year predicts Tourist Board

  

  VISITOR arrivals in 2011 including inbound overnight tourists, cruise passengers and domestic tourists are expected to total almost 64,000, spending £6.85 million, according to the Falkland Islands Tourist Board forecast for the first quarter of 2011.

• Friday, July 8th 2011 - 15:09 UTC

  EU waiting for farm-impact assessment to advance in trade talks with Mercosur

  

  The European Union and Mercosur concluded Friday in Brussels the sixth round of negotiations for a cooperation and trade agreement without any formal exchange of proposals but with the commitment to continue discussions.

• Friday, July 8th 2011 - 06:00 UTC

  Bank of England leaves rates on hold at record low 0.5%

  

  The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has kept UK interest rates on hold at a record low of 0.5%. Economists had expected no move in rates because the latest data has shown the UK economic recovery remains weak.

• Friday, July 8th 2011 - 02:54 UTC

  Brussels funds programs to promote consumption of EU agricultural produce

  

  The European Commission approved this week 26 programs in 13 Member States to provide information and promote agricultural products in the European Union. Total budget for the programs, which will run for between one and three years, is €75.1 million, of which the EU will contribute €37.6 million (50%).

• Friday, July 8th 2011 - 02:48 UTC

  Argentine economy, “a frying pan with boiling oil” says IMF top official

  

  The head of the IMF Western Hemisphere Department Nicolas Eyzaguirre described the Argentine economy as “a frying pan with boiling oil”, in direct reference to a possible overheating as was recently warned by The Economist.

• Thursday, July 7th 2011 - 18:36 UTC

  FMD, PPR, brucellosis and rabies, next FAO-OIE disease elimination targets

  

  Foot and mouth disease, FMD, brucellosis, rabies and Pest des Petites Rumiants (PPR) are the next disease-elimination targets for FAO and OIE following success over rinderpest. The FAO conference officially recognized last week global freedom from the deadly cattle virus.

• Thursday, July 7th 2011 - 18:24 UTC

  Former banker praises Uruguay’s handling of “Argentine debacle” in 2001/2002

  

  European policymakers grappling with problems in Greece, Portugal, Ireland and Spain should follow the path set by the Uruguayan government a decade ago, dealmaker William Rhodes told CNBC on Thursday.