Minutes from the last meeting of US Federal Reserve policy makers show just how downbeat they had become on the state of the US economy. It was this pessimism that led them to agree to spend more than one trillion US dollars to revive its fortunes.
Brazilian meatpacker Arantes Alimentos Ltda has initiated a renegotiation of debts with its creditors, company controler Aderbal Arantes Junior said in an interview Thursday with local newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo.
The US trade deficit has narrowed to a new-year low in February, the seventh month in a row it has shrunk. The difference between what the US exports and imports, narrowed by 28% to 26.3 billion from January's revised 36.2 billion, becoming the smallest gap since November 1999.
Japan announced Thursday a record 150 billion US dollars stimulus package as it seeks to revive its flagging economy. Prime Minister Taro Aso announced the package, worth about 3% of its gross domestic product, in Tokyo after the ruling party approved the measures.
More than 500 political, social and economic leaders from 37 countries will meet next week in Rio for the World Economic Forum on Latin America, the organizers announced on Wednesday.
The Bank of England kept interest rates on hold at 0.5%, in a widely expected move following a number of rate cuts in recent months. Rates remain at an all-time low after six cuts since October last year, when interest rates stood at 5%.
Gibraltar’s population was practically doubled as an avalanche of Spanish shoppers poured in through the frontier gates on Tuesday to take advantage of the price bargains resulting from the strength of the Euro in relation to Sterling, reports the Chronicle
The Brazilian government is planning to offer a financing package worth one billion US dollars for industrial projects in Paraguay, local financial newspaper Valor Economico reported this week. According to the newspaper, which cited unnamed sources, the financing will be offered through Brazil's National Development Bank, or BNDES.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been accused of being in full retreat over his recession-fighting strategy amid signs that any further fiscal stimulus measures would be severely limited by worsening economic conditions.
China's steel group insisted this week with a cut of at least 40% in annual term iron ore prices after a news report said Rio Tinto Ltd is offering a smaller discount before new annual contract negotiation ends, according to reports in the Chinese press. Our request hasn't changed, said Shan Shanghua, secretary general of the China Iron and Steel Association.