Economy

• Thursday, December 16th 2010 - 03:31 UTC

  Brazil expects to reach UN Millennium Development Goals by 2012

  

  The Brazilian government announced Tuesday that the country has seen a solid drop in childhood malnutrition which, together with the social progress achieved in other areas, meets the criteria under the U.N. Millennium Development Goals for the eradication of extreme poverty.

• Wednesday, December 15th 2010 - 22:49 UTC

  Spain again on the brink as Moody’s questions 2011 financial requirements

  

  Moody's rating agency threatened Wednesday to downgrade Spain's credit rating, hammering markets as it warned of a 170-billion-Euro refinancing challenge ahead in 2011.

• Wednesday, December 15th 2010 - 22:25 UTC

  Argentina, world’s largest exporter of top football players: 1.800 in 2009/10

  

  Argentina has surpassed neighbouring Brazil as the world's largest exporter of football players, a trend that may not be a good thing for the country's domestic game. Players had become assets to be sold off to repay club debts, one agent said, while the growing exodus of Argentina's best young players is leaving a void in the local game.

• Wednesday, December 15th 2010 - 05:53 UTC

  Mercosur: a High Representative post to create “consensus” in summit’s agenda

  

  Mercosur could end up with a High Representative post following this coming presidential summit in Foz de Iguazu. According to Brazilian sources the initiative has been discussed with partners Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay and should be approved next Thursday/Friday.

• Wednesday, December 15th 2010 - 04:31 UTC

  Fed admits economic recovery too soft to bring down unemployment level

  

  The US economic recovery is still too soft to bring down the country's high level of unemployment, the Federal Reserve warned on Tuesday. The central bank made the comment as it reaffirmed its commitment to continue purchasing 600 billion in bonds to stimulate the economy.

• Wednesday, December 15th 2010 - 04:17 UTC

  Mercosur with the best growth performance in the region in 2010

  

  Mercosur full member countries with the exception of Brazil will have the best growth performance in the region this year, according to the annual report from the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Cepal which was announced this week in Santiago de Chile.

• Wednesday, December 15th 2010 - 04:08 UTC

  Uruguay beef exports fall in volume but increase in value

  

  Uruguay’s beef exports dropped in volume but increased in value during the first eleven months of 2010, with Russia for a second consecutive year as the top client, according to the latest release from the National Meats Institute, INAC.

• Tuesday, December 14th 2010 - 14:00 UTC

  Airlines profits for 2010 and 2011 up but “margins remain pathetic” says IATA

  

  The International Air Transport Association (IATA) revised its industry outlook for 2010 to a net profit of 15.1 billion USD (up from the 8.9 billion forecast in September). Similarly IATA revised upwards its projections for 2011 to a net industry profit of 9.1 billion (up from the 5.3 billion forecast in September). However net margins remain weak at 2.7% for 2010 and falling to 1.5% in 2011.

• Tuesday, December 14th 2010 - 06:43 UTC

  Bolivia’s first (Chinese built) telecommunications satellite operational by 2014

  

  The Bolivian Space Agency (ABE) and the Chinese Great Wall Industry Corporation signed a commercial contract for the construction and launching of the first Bolivian telecommunications satellite, which has been baptized Tupac Katari.

• Monday, December 13th 2010 - 22:48 UTC

  Argentina lifts trade blockade: Paraguay will attend Mercosur summit

  

  Paraguayan president Fernando Lugo will be attending the Mercosur summit this week following on Argentina’s guarantee that the blockade on Paraguayan goods and merchandise imposed by an Argentine maritime union will be lifted, effective Monday.