
President Mauricio Macri said on Monday that Argentina was close to a deal with the International Monetary Fund to bolster a US$ 50 billion credit line, while a government source said US$ 3-US$ 5 billion in additional funds could be announced this week.

Argentine president Mauricio Macri is in New York where he is scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, but will also be holding a round of talks with business leaders and potential investors, plus granting interviews to key media outlets.

Brazil’s state-run oil giant Petrobras aims to raise output as much as 10% to around 2.3 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2019 and cut net debt by US$10 billion, according to Chief Financial Officer Rafael Grisolia. The world’s most indebted oil company is on course to reduce debt to US$ 69 billion by the end of this year despite falling short of its US$ 21 billion asset sales target, Grisolia pointed out.

Almost two million Argentines are without a job, more precisely 1,999,387 according to the latest unemployment report from the county's stats office, Indec. In effect unemployment rose in the second quarter to 9.6%, from 8.7% a year ago, making it the highest figure in twelve years.

Argentina’s peso strengthened for the third straight day on Friday, driven by optimism that the government would sign a revised financing deal with the International Monetary Fund to include stricter fiscal measures and faster cash disbursements.

European Council President Donald Tusk has said a compromise with the UK over Brexit is still possible, after Theresa May warned she was prepared to walk away from talks. In a statement, Mr. Tusk said he was a true admirer of the PM.

The key economic adviser to Brazil's leading presidential candidate cancelled two campaign events on Friday amid a disagreement with his boss. Market-friendly Paulo Guedes, the main adviser of far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro, canceled events at the American Chamber of Commerce and broker XP Investimentos in Sao Paulo.

Brexit will have a bigger economic impact on the UK than the European Union, the former head of the European Central Bank has told BBC Radio 5 Live. Jean-Claude Trichet added the break-up was “totally contrary to the new world” of large emerging economies, with single currencies and single markets.

One of the largest life insurance providers in North America will no longer offer policies that do not include digital fitness tracking. John Hancock will now sell only interactive policies that collect health data through wearable devices such as a smart-watch.

The Argentine Peso reacted strongly against the US dollar on Thursday following on an abundant private supply of greenbacks to satisfy demand, which kept the Central Bank out of the market for the first time since the beginning of the month. The dollar fell 2.8% and ended trading below 39 Pesos.