Economy

• Thursday, March 8th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Lan ranked best airline in South America

  Chile's LAN was chosen as the premier airline in Central and South America by U.S. magazine Global Traveler. The company received the award based on a reader survey conducted by the magazine between February and August of last year.

• Thursday, March 8th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Euro zone rate up 25 points to 3.75%; unchanged in UK

  The European Central Bank raised its key interest rate 25 points to 3.75% in an attempt to keep inflation under control and in the United Kingdom the Bank of England left rates unchanged at 5.25%.

• Thursday, March 8th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Huge security and protests for Bush in Sao Paulo

  United States president George Bush arrived late Thursday to Sao Paulo for a 24 hours visit to Brazil, --the first leg of his Latinamerican trip--, amidst serious street protests with eight people injured and scores arrested.

• Wednesday, March 7th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Greenspan: “one third probability” of recession

  Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said there's a “one-third probability” of a recession this year in United States and that the current expansion won't have the staying power of its decade-long predecessor.

• Wednesday, March 7th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  World economy “is very strong”, says US Treasury Secretary

  

  United States Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson in the middle of an Asian tour and currently in South Korea expressed confidence in the global economy describing it as strong and characterized by low inflation.

• Wednesday, March 7th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil on course to a more flexible monetary policy

  

  Brazil's Central Bank on Wednesday cut the basic reference interest rate Selic by 25 points to 12.75%, in line with market expectations and government promises of a more flexible monetary policy

• Wednesday, March 7th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Negative February Consumer Price Index in Chile: -0.2%

  

  Chile's Consumer Price Index deflated 0.2% in February, totaling 0.1% in the first two months of 2007 and 2.7% in the last twelve months, according to a release from the country's National Statistics Institute.

• Tuesday, March 6th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Global markets rebound; caution over US economy data

  Stock markets around the world rebounded on Tuesday after five days of losses but concerns over volatility remain. In Latinamerica major stock markets followed on the world reaction with Sao Paulo soaring almost 5%.

• Monday, March 5th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Uncertain week for global markets: all eyes on China

  

  Global stock markets face an uncertain week after a slump in China and fears of an economic slowdown in United States saw the biggest sell-off in more than four years.

• Monday, March 5th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Global markets volatility persists: investors dump stocks

  The global stock market slump has entered its second week with stocks plunging in Wall Street, Asia, Europe and Latinamerica. Although the key US Dow Jones index remained positive for most of Monday, towards the end of the session it closed down 63.7 points, or 0.5%, at 12,050.4.