Economy

Thursday, April 30th 2020 - 07:33 UTC
Trump orders meat processing plants to remain open to protect the food supply

President Donald Trump ordered meat-processing plants to stay open to protect the food supply in the United States, despite concerns about coronavirus outbreaks, drawing a backlash from unions that said at-risk workers required more protection.
Thursday, April 30th 2020 - 07:28 UTC
Fed admits public health situation will “weigh heavily on economic activity, jobs and inflation”

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday left interest rates near zero and repeated a vow to do what it takes to shore up the U.S. economy amid an ongoing coronavirus pandemic that will not only “weigh heavily” on the near-term outlook but poses “considerable risks” for the medium term as well.
Thursday, April 30th 2020 - 05:56 UTC
EU and Mexico finalize upgrade of free trade deal with reciprocal market access

The European Union and Mexico finalized a major upgrade to their free trade deal on Tuesday after the two sides agreed to grant reciprocal market access to each other’s tenders for public contracts.
Wednesday, April 29th 2020 - 09:41 UTC
Uruguay and Argentina presidents discuss the future of Mercosur

Uruguayan president Luis Alberto Lacalle Pou and his Argentine peer, Alberto Fernandez held a half-hour video conference Tuesday mid-morning to address the recent decision by the current Argentine administration to freeze Mercosur free trade negotiations with potential new partners and instead concentrate efforts in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic and its sanitary, social, economic and employment consequences.
Wednesday, April 29th 2020 - 07:56 UTC
Argentina's debt restructure haircut proposal “is not enough” and will have to be revisited, says ex IMF economist

Argentina’s latest effort to restructure its overseas debt probably won’t be its last, according to ex IMF advisor and Harvard University economist Carmen Reinhart, who has sounded alarms overcoming emerging markets crises in Venezuela and Turkey.
Wednesday, April 29th 2020 - 07:55 UTC
Mercosur beef sales to US on the rise, as American abattoirs are closing amid coronavirus complications

Brazil's giant meatpacker Marfrig Global Foods CEO, Miguel Gularte, said the company has resumed sales of fresh beef to the US following a decision by US authorities to open their market to Brazilian beef. American slaughterhouses have been closing amid coronavirus social distancing rules and this has led to unmet demand within the US.
Wednesday, April 29th 2020 - 07:45 UTC
Millions of Americans have been unable to register for unemployment benefits

Millions of Americans who have been thrown out of work during the coronavirus pandemic have been unable to register for unemployment benefits since the U.S. economy entered a free fall, according to a poll released on Tuesday.
Wednesday, April 29th 2020 - 07:41 UTC
China's imports of Brazilian soybeans drop 24.8% during March over a year ago

Brazilian soybeans imports to China during the month of March dropped 24.8%, over the same month last year. The data was released by the Chinese General Customs Administration last Sunday, April 26, and shows soy imports from Brazil reached 2.1 million tons in March, compared to 2.79 million tons in the same period last year.
Wednesday, April 29th 2020 - 07:33 UTC
US markets end Tuesday lower on weak consumer data and mixed earnings report

Wall Street stocks finished lower following a choppy session on Tuesday as mixed earnings reports and weak consumer data underscored the economic challenges caused by the coronavirus shutdowns.
Tuesday, April 28th 2020 - 08:03 UTC
Argentina's EEZ “flooded” by Chinese jiggers catching tons of squid

The Association of Argentine Fishing Industry Chambers has sent an urgent open letter to president Alberto Fernandez complaining about the illegal activity of almost a hundred foreign jiggers in the country's EEZ.