Economy

• Saturday, June 26th 2010 - 05:47 UTC

  Toronto G-20: Germany’s Merkel emphasizes “mutual understanding” with US

  

  Germany's Chancellor has insisted that Europe's leaders are making good progress in talks with the US about how to bolster fragile economic growth. Angela Merkel told journalists at the G8 summit in Canada there was “mutual understanding” with President Obama over deficit reduction plans. Leaders are attending summits of the G8 and G20 groups of leading states.

• Saturday, June 26th 2010 - 05:22 UTC

  Argentine economy expands 9.7% in April, the fastest in two years

  

  Argentina's economy grew at its fastest pace in nearly two years in April, expanding 9.7% percent from a year earlier, the government announced on Friday. Increased consumer spending and demand for Argentina industrial products, particularly automobiles, from Mercosur partner Brazil helped to boost the economy.

• Saturday, June 26th 2010 - 05:16 UTC

  “China playing games” with the announced Yuan flexibility, says Krugman

  

  Nobel laureate Paul Krugman said China’s pledge to make the Yuan more flexible was an “exercise in bad faith” intended to fend off international pressure for a stronger currency at this week’s Group of 20 leaders’ summit.

• Saturday, June 26th 2010 - 05:13 UTC

  China says there is no basis for major appreciation of the Yuan or raising rates

  

  Top Chinese financial officials defended the country’s current economic policy and stated there was no need for a major appreciation of the currency or an increase in interest rates since inflation was declining.

• Saturday, June 26th 2010 - 05:08 UTC

  China ends freeze on Argentina soy-oil imports, says Buenos Aires

  

  Argentina has reached an agreement with China to end the freeze on Argentine soy-oil imports, the government said on Friday. However given the cumbersome negotiation process some Argentine traders are waiting for an official confirmation from Beijing.

• Saturday, June 26th 2010 - 05:01 UTC

  BP considering sales of assets in Argentina

  

  British Petroleum, BP, is actively considering the sale of its stake in Pan American Energy LLC, Argentina's fastest growing oil and gas company, according to oil industry sources quoted in the Buenos Aires press.

• Friday, June 25th 2010 - 21:59 UTC

  In seven years Asia became Chile’s main trade partner: absorbs 48% of exports

  

  Between January and May of 2010, Chile shipped approximately 12.7 billion US dollars in commodities to Asia; in this five-month span, 83% of Asia-bound exports were sent to China, Japan, and South Korea.

• Friday, June 25th 2010 - 05:17 UTC

  Brazil and Argentina advance in solving bilateral trade issues

  

  Brazil and Argentina made significant advances in outstanding bilateral trade issues following a joint meeting Thursday between top policy makers, Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega told reporters.

• Friday, June 25th 2010 - 05:14 UTC

  Brazil praises Argentina’s ‘successful’ debt swap process

  

  Brazil said on Thursday that the sovereign debt swap process led by the Argentine government and its economy administration was “successful”.

• Thursday, June 24th 2010 - 06:07 UTC

  G-20 summit: EU wants timetable to scrap stimuli; US warns recovery is still weak

  

  The European Union (EU) has urged the G20 club of nations to agree when to scrap their economic support packages. The EU said a coordinated exit from stimulus measures would help restore confidence and reduce the risk that some countries would be disadvantaged.