Economy

Friday, April 15th 2011 - 05:31 UTC
China’s March inflation fastest since 2008; further tightening anticipated

Inflation in China accelerated in March to the fastest rate since 2008, despite government efforts to cool prices. Consumer prices rose by 5.4% in March compared with a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said. In February, the annual figure was 4.9%.
Friday, April 15th 2011 - 02:13 UTC
Mujica promises to control the curse of inflation, but ‘there are no magic solutions’

President Jose Mujica promised there will be no ‘uncontrolled inflation in Uruguay’ and although admitting it’s not a simple problem, with no magic solution, there are “sufficient tools’ to address the issue including putting “government spending on a diet”.
Friday, April 15th 2011 - 00:12 UTC
“Other blocks demand too much from Mercosur and offer too little”

Several Mercosur negotiations with other blocks have failed because “they ask too much and offer too little” said Samuel Pinheiro recently appointed Mercosur High Representative and who is holding a round of meetings with member countries’ leaders.
Friday, April 15th 2011 - 00:01 UTC
‘Argentina’s protectionism’ the great obstacle for EU/Mercosur trade talks

European Union’s top trade negotiator, Karel de Gucht, accused Argentina of being “the great obstacle” in an association agreement between the EU and Mercosur, and threatened to take the case before the WTO.
Thursday, April 14th 2011 - 23:50 UTC
Mercosur outperformed in 2008/09 recession and during 2010 recovery

Latin America and the Caribbean have weathered the 2008-2009 recession much better than it had previous downturns. However less well-known is that the region, particularly Mercosur members, also decisively outperformed many other regions during the same period with a decline in growth smaller than that of the middle-income country average and with a rebound that was swifter and stronger.
Thursday, April 14th 2011 - 23:39 UTC
Obama insists on reforming tax-code and making the rich pay more

US President Barack Obama said the United States must use the tax code to help meet its targets for reducing the deficit and said that the wealthiest Americans must help achieve that goal.
Thursday, April 14th 2011 - 22:57 UTC
Latam’s challenge: combating inflation but also the inflow of speculative capital

Strong public and private consumption, abundant credit and strong currency appreciation among other reasons helped Latin American countries overcome the 2008/09 recession and outperform other regions according to the World Bank report Latin America and the Caribbean’s Success Put to the Test.
Thursday, April 14th 2011 - 21:01 UTC
More people deeper in poverty as food prices soar 36%, says World Bank

Driven in part by higher fuel costs connected to events in the Middle East and North Africa, global food prices are 36% above their levels a year ago and remain volatile, pushing people deeper into poverty, according to new World Bank Group numbers released Thursday.
Thursday, April 14th 2011 - 20:43 UTC
The bank that grasses politicians up

A banker is a fellow who lends you his umbrella when the sun is shining and wants it back the minute it begins to rain” claimed Mark Twain a long time ago. After greedy and socially irresponsible bankers wreaked havoc around the world in 2008 no wonder this cynical comment by the famous writer is still referred to.
Thursday, April 14th 2011 - 19:54 UTC
BRICS calls for new global monetary system with less reliance on the dollar

The BRICS group of emerging-market powers kept up the pressure for a revamped global monetary system that relies less on the US dollar and for a louder voice in international financial institutions.