
United States and China have played down their differences ahead of a series of high-level trade talks taking place this week in Beijing. China's product safety record, its massive trade surplus and what some in Washington see as Beijing's currency manipulation are high on the agenda.
As anticipated by markets and concerned with slower economic growth and softer business and consumer spending the United States Federal Reserve cut on Tuesday the basic interest rate 25 points to 4.25%.

Uruguay's economy expanded 6.7% during the first nine months of 2007 compared to the same period last year, driven by the transportation and communications sectors, the Central Bank reported on Monday.

Beef exports are likely to rise in 2008 as Russia resumes importing meat from Brazil, the Brazilian Beef Exporters Association (Abiec) said in Sao Paulo.

One of China's main textile trading companies recently visited Magallanes region in the extreme south of Chile with the purpose of acquiring a significant percentage of the region's total production.
Japan revealed Friday that its economy grew by much less than previously thought in the third quarter of 2007 amid a housing slump and slower investment by firms in new factories and equipment.
In spite of government restrictions to overseas sales Argentine beef exports expanded 9% in the ten first months of 2007 reaching 1.155 billion US dollars according to data from the country's Health and Agro Food national service, Senasa.

The European Central Bank left on Thursday interest rates unchanged at 4%, in line with analysts' expectations and in spite of strong short term upward pressure on inflation.
China should let its currency rise faster to help it counter overheating in its booming economy, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development suggested in a report this week.
China said Wednesday it would tighten monetary policy in 2008 for the first time in a decade, as it battles to rein in a soaring stock market and an overheated economy. The shift from prudent to tight is a move analysts consider significant, but no major details to support the announcement were delivered.