Economy

• Wednesday, November 18th 2009 - 02:38 UTC

  Chile and Uruguay, least corrupt in Latam and an inspiration for the region

  

  Chile, Uruguay and Costa Rica have the lowest perceived levels of corruption in Latinamerica, a benchmark and inspiration for the Americas according to the latest report from Transparency International. Argentina and Venezuela are among the low performers in a region where there are serious indications of “rampant corruption”.

• Tuesday, November 17th 2009 - 12:48 UTC

  The Chilean currency at its highest in 16 months: 496 to the US dollar

  

  The Chilean peso rose to its strongest level against the US dollar in 16 months after copper prices and global stocks rallied. The peso climbed 1.1% to 496.6 per dollar during trading and touched 494.15, the strongest since July 2008.

• Tuesday, November 17th 2009 - 12:39 UTC

  Federal Reserve working to “help ensure that the US dollar is strong”

  

  United States Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke said Monday that US policymakers are mindful of the sliding US dollar. Bernanke said he is “attentive” to the decline in the currency and is working to “help ensure that the dollar is strong”.

• Tuesday, November 17th 2009 - 01:02 UTC

  Repsol cutting EP investment plans to reduce costs

  

  Repsol-YPF, Spain’s biggest oil company cut its five-year exploration and production investment plan to reduce costs as the economic slowdown saps earnings. Repsol will invest an estimated 8.76 billion Euros in E&P from 2008 through 2012, down from an earlier plan to spend 9.3 billion Euros, the Madrid-based company announced Monday.

• Monday, November 16th 2009 - 14:31 UTC

  Controversy over Winnie-the-Pooh alleged unpaid royalties

  

  The family of the man who made Winnie-the-Pooh famous in the US is suing Disney over alleged unpaid royalties. The late Stephen Slesinger, who signed a licensing deal with Pooh creator AA Milne in 1931, gave the bear his red shirt and developed Pooh products.

• Monday, November 16th 2009 - 14:27 UTC

  Queen’s Speech will announce radical changes in London City banking

  

  London City regulators are to be given new powers to tear up bankers' contracts if they include excessive pay and bonus deals which might threaten the stability of the financial system.

• Saturday, November 14th 2009 - 13:51 UTC

  Argentine bishops call on CFK to combat poverty and consolidate democracy

  

  The Argentine Catholic Church urged the government to combat the “dramatic” situation of the poor and demanded the authorities consolidate democratic institutions and defuse growing social unrest.

• Saturday, November 14th 2009 - 13:47 UTC

  Argentina’s retail inflation climbs 0.8% during October

  

  Argentina’s consumer price index increased 0.8% during October, according to the official Statistics office, Indec. The education and apparel industries were the ones that most gained. The main private pollsters were expecting the retail prices index to rise between 1 and 1.3%.

• Saturday, November 14th 2009 - 13:25 UTC

  IMF calls on Asian countries to appreciate their currencies

  

  International Monetary Fund Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Khan urged Asian nations to let their currencies appreciate as part of the region’s contribution to a more balanced global recovery.

• Friday, November 13th 2009 - 08:04 UTC

  US and Japan record low interest rates funding global “carry trades”

  

  The International Monetary Fund said that record low US interest rates are funding global “carry trades” and the dollar is still overvalued as concerns mount that new financial imbalances are forming.