Economy

• Wednesday, February 2nd 2011 - 01:13 UTC

  Soy prices soar as Argentine ports are blocked by week-long strike

  

  The provincial government of Santa Fe home of Argentina's grain export hub has requested the federal government to help end a week-old strike that is delaying shipments from one of the world's biggest food suppliers, the provincial Labour minister said on Tuesday.

• Wednesday, February 2nd 2011 - 00:22 UTC

  Lack of jobs, rising food and energy prices could lead to spark war within nations

  

  The world economy is beset by problems such as high unemployment and rising prices which could fuel trade protectionism and even lead to war within nations, the head of the International Monetary Fund warned.

• Wednesday, February 2nd 2011 - 00:13 UTC

  Chile’s telephone numbers revamped to promote competition

  

  New rules in Chile have shifted ownership of the telephone number from telephone companies to individuals for the first time ever. The legal change will enable customers to switch their service provider while retaining their number.

• Tuesday, February 1st 2011 - 13:31 UTC

  Paraguay scheduled to open a trade office in Hong Kong

  

  Paraguay the only Mercosur member with no formal diplomatic relations with China-Beijing, --since it only recognizes Taiwan--, is scheduled to open a trade office in Hong Kong (Peoples Republic of China) some time in the next few weeks.

• Tuesday, February 1st 2011 - 00:34 UTC

  Rousseff blasts US and China’s currencies’ “competitive depreciation” policies

  

  Emerging market countries such as Brazil and Argentina must take a stronger position against “competitive depreciations,” Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff told Argentine press on Sunday.

• Monday, January 31st 2011 - 21:30 UTC

  FAO, IMF anticipate more civil unrest and protests because of soaring food prices

  

  North Africa and Middle East civil unrest can be expected to spread to several other countries if as anticipated the FAO Food Prices Index for January 2011 confirms the December 2010 tendency when the “basket” of food staples reached a new peak.

• Sunday, January 30th 2011 - 21:02 UTC

  Chinese Mega City For 42 Million People

  

  Chinese city planners have announced a plan to merge cities surrounding the Pearl River Delta to create the world’s largest metropolis with 42 million people

• Sunday, January 30th 2011 - 20:23 UTC

  Volatility Oil Prices, Futures Rise Most Since 2009

  

  Oil options volatility increased as the underlying futures surged the most since September 2009 as unrest in Egypt raised concern that protests would spread to major oil-producing parts of the Middle East.

• Friday, January 28th 2011 - 21:25 UTC

  “Trade is the Biggest Wealth Creator,” Says Prime Minister Cameron Welcoming Doha Report

  

  British Prime Minister David Cameron has welcomed a new report, which claims that for the Doha agreement to be successful, negotiations should be concluded in 2011.

• Friday, January 28th 2011 - 21:13 UTC

  IMF Assessment of Brazil Is ‘Wrong and Stupid’

  

  The International Monetary Fund’s assessment that Brazil’s fiscal situation is worsening and putting at risk the government’s targets is “totally wrong” and “stupid,” Finance Minister Guido Mantega said.