
Argentina’s capital flight is forecasted to reach 17 billion US dollars in 2011, above the 11.4 billion of last year because of electoral year uncertainties, and in spite of a larger trade surplus.

The International Monetary Fund backed the British government's plans to reduce the budget deficit, but said tax cuts or more quantitative easing may be needed if growth proves persistently weak.

European Union farm ministers will try on Tuesday to agree financial aid for fruit and vegetable producers whose sales have been hit by an E.coli outbreak that has so far claimed at least 22 lives in Europe and triggered a scare in fresh produce consumption.

Eduardo Guilisasti, CEO of Chile’s Concha y Toro winery, placed ninth on Decanter magazine’s recently released “2011 Power List.” The bi-annual ranking lists the 50 most influential people in the winemaking world based on their level of influence over consumer choice in wine. This year’s list elevated Guilisasti from his 2009 ranking as 13th.

The increase in imports during the first quarter of this year could indicate Brazil has begun a de-industrialization process, cautioned Jose Augusto de Castro, president of the country’s Foreign Trade Association, AEB.

The Falkland Islands ended the approval process for the 2011/2012 budget, following the positive report from Financial Secretary Keith Padgett to the Legislative Assembly budget session.

The United States mortgage market has gone and is going through rough changes. Many laws have been introduced regarding lending and borrowing and a new initiative is again triggering debate as to its effects on the mortgage market.

Argentina and Brazil seem to be again on the path of normalizing bilateral trade following the mid May spat that triggered a round of technical exchanges in Buenos Aires and a final meeting at ministerial level in Brasilia. On Monday, allegedly all the Argentine cars delayed in the border will have been cleared into Brazil.

Chile’s unemployment rate has dropped from 8.6% to 7%, according to official government statistics released this week. The three regions most affected by the February 2010 earthquake were found to have generated 31% of the nearly half a million jobs created nationwide in the past 12 months.

The ranks of millionaires expanded by 12% in 2010, to about 12.5 million, led by Singapore, as gains in financial markets lifted global wealth for a second straight year, the Boston Consulting Group said.