
Spain is slowly emerging from recession but needs to cut spending further and introduce labour market reforms, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has said.

Chile's government wants to make state-owned oil and gas company Empresa Nacional del Petroleo SA, (ENAP) economically viable through a management overhaul and streamlining of production.

Following the 30% expansion in 2010, Brazilian exports are forecasted to grow 12%, in 2011 according to Foreign Trade Secretary Weber Barral. He added that in 2010 the recovery was quite strong compared to the downturn of 2009, but in 2011 global trade growth rate is expected to slow down.

Toyota, the largest car-maker in the world is forecasting a 2% rise in global production across Toyota, Daihatsu and Hino models to 8.69 million units, compared to this year’s expected global output of 8.55 million units. Overseas production next year is expected to rise 6% to 4.81 million units, offsetting a 4% drop in domestic output to 3.89 million units.

Latin America and the Caribbean experienced rapid employment recovery in 2010 to pre-crisis levels, according to data provided by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). However, the quality of jobs now being offered to those made jobless in the contracted worldwide recession over the past two years is fast becoming a problem in itself.

Argentina's current account balance--the broadest measure of a country's transactions with the rest of the world—posted a 900 million US dollars surplus in the third quarter, but was down slightly from expectations and the performance from a quarter earlier.

With the recent 62% increase Brazilian lawmakers (Lower House and Senate) will be among the best paid in the world, ahead of European and US peers and from other emerging economies.

Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Venezuela are the countries which most reduced inequality and poverty during the last decade in Latinamerica, according to Alicia Bárcena, executive secretary from the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Cepal.

Brazil has become the world’s fourth largest market for the automobile industry with sales of 3.45 million in 2010, up 9.8% over 2009, and is also attracting massive overseas investments to the industry, reports Anfavea the Brazilian Association of automobile manufacturers.Brazil now stands behind China, United States, Japan and ahead of Germany.

Between Jan and Oct 2010, 83 of the top 100 Chilean wineries increased their sales of bottled wine. According to figures from Wines of Chile, 68 of these wineries increased sales by more than 10%. Exports have increased by 11.7% compared to figures during the same period in 2009.