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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, July 22nd 2025 - 23:16 UTC

Economy

  • Thursday, January 2nd 2025 - 07:29 UTC

    Chinese meat industry and farmers complaining about surging Mercosur imports

    Safeguard measures taken by the world’s biggest beef buyer can be expected to hurt top exporters and trade partners of China, Mercosur block partners, and Australia.

    Chinese farmers and meat industry associations are complaining about the surge in foreign beef imports and the Ministry of Commerce has promised an investigation into the situation, according to Beijing government sources.

  • Tuesday, December 31st 2024 - 10:55 UTC

    La Niña projected to take its toll in the Southern Cone

    La Niña is feared to cause considerable economic losses, mostly regarding agricultural outputs due to droughts but also considerable damage from excessive flooding. Photo: EFE/ Isaac Fontana

    Meteorologists foresee that the La Niña weather phenomenon will not go unnoticed in the Southern Cone next year after the Brazilian agency Metsul reported signs of unusual activity in the Pacific Ocean. The main impact will be reflected in mercurial temperatures, MetSul's warning noted.

  • Tuesday, December 31st 2024 - 10:30 UTC

    After hectic month, Paraguay's yearly inflation barely above 2023's

    The BCP aims to reach a 3.5% inflation by 2026

    Paraguay's Consumer Price Index (CPI) grew 0.7% this month, which represented a setback from 0.3% in the same month last year. Nevertheless, Asunción confirmed closing 2024 with a 3.8% inflation, barely over 2023's 3.7%, according to the Central Bank (BCP), and therefore within the target range of 4%, it was explained Monday. On a brighter note, core inflation stood at 0.3% in December for a yearly variation of 3.4%, which meant progress from the 3.6% registered in 2023.

  • Monday, December 30th 2024 - 23:13 UTC

    Brazil's financial markets adjust 2025 projections for the worse

    The BCB's Focus Bulletin maintained its forecast for the Selic basic interest rate of 14.75% per annum in 2025

    Monday's issue of Brazil's Central Bank's (BCB) Focus Bulletin twitched last week's 2025 slightly for the worse, with higher inflation and a smaller Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Agencia Brasil reported. The study showed that the Broad Consumer Price Index (IPCA) should end 2025 at 4.96% from the 4.86% forecast last week. It was the 11th adjustment to the inflation projection and the ninth to the exchange rate between the local real and the US dollar.

  • Monday, December 30th 2024 - 10:58 UTC

    Hard times ahead for Lula and Brazilian Real, the most devalued currency in 2024

    Lula da Silva recovering from head injuries and surgery

    US dollar expectations in the Brazilian market are beating forecasts having reached R$ 6.30 in December, (from 4.85 in January 2024) making the Brazilian Real one of the largest currencies of emerging countries, as the most devalued during 2024, despite the Central Bank pumping some US$ 17 billion to the market hoping to contain the slide.

  • Monday, December 30th 2024 - 10:30 UTC

    Argentine SMEs post 21.7% improvement in exports

    SMEs also fear a barrage of layoffs next year after imported products flood the domestic market given the current strength of the local peso against the US dollar

    Argentina's Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises (CAME) reported this weekend that exports between January and November exceeded US$ 9 billion, representing a 21.7% growth in shipments and 27.5% in tonnage, mainly to Brazil and Chile. Overall, South America accounted for 33.1% of sales.

  • Saturday, December 28th 2024 - 09:48 UTC

    Brazil: Unemployment in November hits lowest figures since 2014

    IBGE's Beringuy highlighted “the expansion of employment through various economic activities”

    Unemployment in South America's largest country reached 6.1% in the quarter ending last month, Agencia Brasil reported Friday citing figures from Brazil's Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). It was the lowest rate in this time series dating back to the first quarter of 2012.

  • Saturday, December 28th 2024 - 09:05 UTC

    Rousseff offers Uruguay NDB financing opportunities

    “Uruguay is used to working with other historical entities, and this is very new,” Orsi said after meeting with Rousseff

    Former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who now chairs the BRICS' New Development Bank (NDB) said Friday after meeting with Uruguay's President-elect Yamandú Orsi at the latter's transition headquarters that the South American country was “best positioned” to access financing at lower rates for digital, social infrastructure, and education developments.

  • Friday, December 27th 2024 - 19:43 UTC

    Supermarket sales keep dropping in Argentina

    The Indec also reported a constant process of higher indebtedness by the average consumer

    Argentina's National Institute of Statistics and Census (Indec) released Thursday a report mentioning that supermarket sales fell 17.8% yoy in October as consumption continues to fall. Sales in shopping malls and wholesalers also dropped.

  • Friday, December 27th 2024 - 10:07 UTC

    IMF approves US$245 million disbursement for Paraguay

    The IMF found that economic activity in Paraguay “continues to be dynamic.”

    After concluding the fourth review of the Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI) with Paraguay as well as the second one on the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (SRS), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a disbursement of US$186.28 million in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) representing nearly US$ 245 million to help the South American country's green energy matrix expansion.