
Mexico has banned federal institutions and state governments from doing business with Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht for the next 2-1/2 years, and fined the company around US$ 60 million, the government said.

Brazil has secured World Trade Organization backing to press its claims against Canada in a dispute over what it says are unfair subsidies for Bombardier Inc.’s CSeries jets, a preliminary WTO ruling published this week showed.

Hundreds of thousands of the poorest families in Britain are going without basic necessities, according to two separate surveys. Citizens Advice said as many as 140,000 households are going without power, as they cannot afford to top up their prepayment meters. And the Living Wage Foundation - which campaigns for fair pay - said many of the poorest parents are skipping meals.

United States federal regulators are poised to impose a US$ 1 billion penalty on Wells Fargo for a variety of alleged misdeeds, including forcing customers to buy auto insurance policies that they didn't need, according to people briefed on the regulatory action.

A British fishing firm has won the right to appeal against a controversial decision to hand lucrative fishing licenses to foreign rivals in the South Atlantic, according to a report from Daniel Martin in the Daily Mail.

Starbucks has opened with great success its first store in Uruguay at the Montevideo Shopping mall in the capital city Montevideo. The store has a unique design and offers a wide range of Starbucks beverages and food, including Starbucks 100% arabica coffees from Latin America and around the world.

Overseas shipyards including some in Spain are “eyeing up” a £1 billion order for three new Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships, a UK union claims. The GMB said the UK Government should reverse a decision to put the contract out to international tender later this month.

United States sorghum farmers fear they will lose their largest export market if China follows through with a tariff on their crop. China imposed preliminary anti-dumping tariffs of 178.6% on U.S. sorghum this week as part of its ongoing trade dispute with the U.S.

UK consumer price inflation fell in March to 2.5%, the lowest rate in a year, according to the Office for National Statistics. It fell from 2.7% in February after prices for women's clothing rose at a slower pace than last year. The data appears to show that the squeeze on UK households may be coming to an end as wages rise.

The International Monetary Fund says that high global debt is a concern. In a new report, the IMF says governments should use the current strong economic growth to strengthen their finances. The organization also says that risks to global financial stability have increased.