China's economy is forecasted to expand two digits for the sixth consecutive year in a context of inflation, which was record in a decade in 2007, reported this week the Shanghai Securities News, quoting a government think-tank.

Brazil will invest heavily in infrastructure this year which will help create jobs and boost the economy said President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva during his weekly broadcast.

Santiago de Chile residents pay more for their light and water than the citizens of any other capital in South America, according to a recent survey conducted by the EL Mercurio newspaper.

Venezuela launched a new currency with the New Year, lopping off three zeros from denominations in a bid to simplify finances and boost confidence in a money that has been losing value due to high inflation.

For years, the joke in this country was that Brazil's economy was the economy of the future. The morose punchline, of course, was that the future never arrives. But finally, it seems, the future is now.

Brazil's main stock market, Ibovespa ended an exceptional 2007 with a turnover of 570 billion US dollars and its biggest annual gain in four years, over 40%. The Sao Paulo stock exchange closed Friday at 63.774 points, accumulating 43.4% gain over the closing of 44.473 points a year ago.

The US dollar finished 2007 with an accumulated loss of 6.65% against the Chilean Peso which was boosted by the strong international price for copper, Chile's main export, and the favorable interest rates differential with the US, according to Santiago analysts.
Mining giant Rio Tinto continued to defend itself against an unsolicited offer from larger rival BHP Billiton on Thursday, saying it had greater potential as a standalone company while rumors of possible Chinese offers re-emerged.

Boosted by bull-market prices for commodities, record crops and a surge in industrial shipments Argentina's exports in the first eleven months of 2007 equaled the whole of 2006 and for the first time ever crossed the 50 billion US dollars benchmark.

A Tierra del Fuego sheep farmer has been banned by Chilean sanitary authorities from selling lambs and mutton to the European Union for having violated a self regulated sanitary and flock management program, reports Punta Arenas, La Prensa Austral.