Economy

• Wednesday, May 21st 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Catholic Church “perceives” growing poverty in Argentina

  Bishop Jorge Casaretto, head of the Argentine Catholic Church Social Pastoral Committee said that perception at the moment ”is that poverty (in Argentina) is increasing”. The statement contradicts a recent Argentine government report indicating that poverty had fallen to 20.7% in the second half of 2007 compared to the previous 23.4%.

• Wednesday, May 21st 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile has endemic two digits youth unemployment rate

  Youth unemployment in Chile is far higher than that of adults, and has been for years. According to a study by the International Labor Organization (ILO), the youth unemployment rate in Chile in the last ten years has been, on average, three times higher than that of adults.

• Tuesday, May 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Climatic emergency in Comodoro Rivadavia hit by snow storm

  A “climatic emergency” was declared Monday in Comodoro Rivadavia following strong winds, rain and snow storms which covered most of the Argentine Patagonian province of Chubut with several feet of snow.

• Tuesday, May 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  US April wholesale inflation takes short rest in April

  

  United States Producer's Price Index increased 0.2% in April following the big 1.1% jump in March but the improvement is likely to be temporary since during April food prices remained unchanged and energy actually dropped, reported the US Labor Department on Tuesday.

• Tuesday, May 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Export strength gives US manufacturing brighter outlook

  Hopes for something more than a temporary rebound in the US economy anytime soon could be frustrated, but the manufacturing outlook in particular might be somewhat brighter due to continuing strength in exports, according to a new report.

• Tuesday, May 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Uruguay leads region's Economic Climate Index

  The economic climate in Latinamerica dropped in April to its lowest level since 2003 according to the latest edition of the joint index from the Brazilian Getulio Vargas Foundation, FGV, and the IFO Institute from Munich, Germany.

• Monday, May 19th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  “Quantum” yield keep Mercosur/EU trade talks stalled

  Mercosur and European Union trade negotiations remain stalled following on Saturday's meeting in Lima according to reports from the Argentine press. Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and the head of the European Commission Jose Manuel Borroso could only agree that it was a discussion with “passion” and if “no country yields, there's no agreement”.

• Monday, May 19th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Soros forecasts “severe” slowdown in real economy

  US, UK citizen, Hungarian born billionaire investor George Soros has given his gloomiest assessment of the state of the US and world economies in an interview with the BBC business editor Robert Peston

• Sunday, May 18th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Good year for business in Latinamerica

  

  Uruguay ranked fourth in the best country in Latin America to do business listing, according to the second annual Latin Business Index from Latin Business Chronicle. The index has Chile again at the top and Venezuela at the bottom of the 19 countries list.

• Saturday, May 17th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Chinese investor eyeing 9% stake in BHP Billiton

  Shares in mining giant BHP Billiton have jumped on fresh speculation a Chinese investor is eyeing up a 9% stake in the company. The Australian press reported that “Chinese interests” have approached an Australian investment fund to help buy into the world's biggest miner.