Economy

• Wednesday, September 15th 2010 - 05:57 UTC

  Strong Colombian peso debilitating exports and eliminating jobs

  

  The strong appreciation of the Colombian peso which so far this year has gained 14% against the US dollar and now stands below the 1.800 peso milestone is hitting exporters and could have an impact on employment, one of the most sensitive issues for Colombian public opinion.

• Wednesday, September 15th 2010 - 00:27 UTC

  Ending the commodities ‘curse’

  

  By Augusto de la Torre (*) - In 1672, Potosí, Bolivia, was one of the largest and richest cities in the world. Located at the base of Cerro Rico, Potosi was a hotbed of Spanish silver mining, the operations of which were so prolific; a Potosi became synonymous for great riches.

• Tuesday, September 14th 2010 - 03:57 UTC

  S&P raises Argentina’s long term credit rating based on an improving economy

  

  Standard & Poor's raised on Monday its long-term foreign currency credit rating on Argentina by one notch, to B from B-minus, citing declining debt levels and an improving economy in 2010.

• Tuesday, September 14th 2010 - 03:08 UTC

  Wide ranging trade deal brings Taiwan closer to China

  

  A historic trade deal between China and Taiwan took effect Sunday signalling improvement in relations between the two countries after they were split by a civil war over 60 years ago.

• Tuesday, September 14th 2010 - 00:46 UTC

  Cuba with unions support announces elimination of 500.000 jobs to boost economy

  

  The Cuban government will cut more than 500,000 state jobs by March as part of a plan to reduce inefficiencies, the country’s largest union said in a statement. The reductions are part of President Raúl Castro’s goal of eliminating 1 million state jobs by 2015, according to the statement.

• Monday, September 13th 2010 - 22:17 UTC

  EU Trade commissioner in Brazil to advance trade talks with Mercosur

  

  European Union Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht is expected in Brazil to advance trade talks with Mercosur. Brazil currently holds the Mercosur rotating chair. The top EU official will visit Argentina later in the week.

• Monday, September 13th 2010 - 04:03 UTC

  Argentina closer to becoming Brazil’s second trade partner

  

  Argentine trade with Brazil in 2010 is going to increase significantly and could replace United States as the second most important importer of Brazilian goods, said Foreign Affairs minister Celso Amorim.

• Monday, September 13th 2010 - 04:00 UTC

  Central bankers agree new rules to prevent a repeat of the financial crisis

  

  Central bank governors and senior regulators have agreed new rules designed to prevent a repeat of the recent financial crisis. At a meeting in the Swiss city of Basle, they agreed a deal requiring banks to hold more capital in reserve.

• Sunday, September 12th 2010 - 07:29 UTC

  A view from The Economist: ‘US and Latin America, nobody’s backyard’

  

  Under the heading of “The United States and Latin America: Nobody’s backyard”, The Economist publishes one of its leading articles, supported by special pieces dedicated to the region’s potentialities, recent successes and shortcomings, mainly triumphalism and complacency.

• Sunday, September 12th 2010 - 07:12 UTC

  Two million people have visited Chile’s pavilion at the Shanghai Expo

  

  Lu Hongxiang from Xin Xiang, China was recently the 2 millionth visitor at the Chilean pavilion at the Shanghai Expo that runs from May 1 to Oct 31, 2010.