Latinamerican economies are forecasted to expand 0.7% this year, well below the 4.2% of 2008, but a surprising performance, if proved right, when all major economies face negative estimates.
The US economy shrank by 6.2% in the last three months of 2008, official figures have shown, a far sharper fall than had previously been reported. Plunging exports and the biggest fall in consumer spending in 28 years dragged the annualised figure down from an earlier estimate of 3.8%.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez sent troops on Saturday to temporarily take over rice processing plants. Chavez accused some firms of overcharging by refusing to produce rice at prices set by the government and warned some companies could be nationalised if they tried to interfere with supplies of the grain.
Brazil's fourth largest Brazilian exporter of beef has halted slaughtering operations at all 11 of its plants and sent workers home, local Brazilian media reports. In addition, Independencia has not paid cattle suppliers for several days and has returned most cattle to suppliers.
Euro-zone unemployment rose more than economists expected in January and inflation slowed. The jobless rate in the Euro zone increased to 8.2%, the highest in more than two years, from 8.1% in December, the European Union statistics office in Luxembourg said Friday.
Argentine farmers' organizations announced they would fight a reported plan to nationalize grain trading, warning that such a move would deepen a long-running conflict between the government and agricultural groups.
The Scandinavian region economic downturn was highlighted this week when Denmark confirmed it was in the worst recession in three decades while output in Sweden and Finland shrank the most in at least 17 years.
Japan's economy is sinking deeper into recession, the country's finance minister has warned, as new figures show industrial production plunged a record 10 per cent in January.
Argentina's exports plunged 36% in January and the trade surplus shrank 27% compared to a year ago according to the latest figures released Wednesday by the country's Statistics Office, Indec.
The International Monetary Fund is interested in resuming dialogue with Argentina, a fund spokesman said on Thursday, indicating ties may be thawing between Buenos Aires and the Washington-based multilateral organization.