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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, April 27th 2026 - 05:19 UTC

Economy

  • Thursday, February 22nd 2018 - 09:07 UTC

    Fed more positive on economic outlook ...and more rate hikes expected in 2018

    In January, the Fed left the rate unchanged at a range of 1.25% to 1.5%, and said inflation was expected to “move up” this year and stabilize around the 2% target

    United States Federal Reserve officials grew more positive on the economic outlook, citing “substantial underlying economic momentum,” and were increasingly optimistic about achieving their inflation target, according to minutes of last month’s policy meeting.

  • Wednesday, February 21st 2018 - 09:19 UTC

    Brexit strategy suggestion to Theresa May from 62 Conservative MPs

    Mrs May and the government have been under pressure to spell out in detail what they want the UK's future partnership with the EU to look like.

    More than 60 Conservative MPs have signed a letter to Theresa May making a series of “suggestions” about the government's Brexit strategy. The letter from the European Research Group says the UK should be free to negotiate and sign trade deals with other countries as soon as it leaves.

  • Wednesday, February 21st 2018 - 08:53 UTC

    Illinois farm industry concerned with main competitors Argentina and Brazilian growth

    Argentina and Brazil are working to make sure there were no artificial trade barriers in European and Asian markets, and other bio-fuel initiatives

    A market study tour in January to Argentina and Brazil by the US state of Illinois Farm Bureau helped farm bureau leaders and Illinois farmers learn more about their chief competitors. Tamara Nelsen, senior director of commodities at the Illinois Farm Bureau, said the original plan to go to Canada and Mexico was scrapped due to anti-trade rhetoric, which led experts to point them to South America.

  • Wednesday, February 21st 2018 - 07:19 UTC

    Switzerland interested in a trade deal with Mercosur despite its own farmers

    “A free trade agreement without the agricultural sector is not thinkable,” Schneider-Ammann told a press conference on Tuesday.

    Swiss Economic Affairs Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann wants to speed up a free trade agreement between Switzerland and Mercosur, but there is concern in the agricultural sector, according to the country's media.

  • Wednesday, February 21st 2018 - 01:26 UTC

    Petro, the Venezuelan cryptocurrency is online

    The initiative promoted by the government of Nicolás Maduro responds to individual sanctions by the international community against government officials.

    The pre-sale of Petro began early on Tuesday, the cryptocurrency proposed by the Venezuelan government in recent weeks and backed by the country's natural resources. According to experts, it is “ridiculous”, arguing that the creation of a new currency would aggravate the economic crisis in the Caribbean country.

  • Tuesday, February 20th 2018 - 10:18 UTC

    Vazquez in verbal clash with dissident farmers and loses his temper

    President Vazquez is hounded by dissident farmers complaining for not having been invited to the first round of talks with government officials (Pic El Observa)

    Uruguayan farmers are angry, and so is president Tabare Vazquez who was involved in a high tone incident, far removed from what is his normal style of an oncologist having to communicate bad news. On Monday afternoon Vazquez unexpectedly attended the first round of talks between disenchanted farmers’ lobbies with government officials to discuss a raft of measures to overcome some of the long standing complaints.

  • Tuesday, February 20th 2018 - 09:43 UTC

    Brazilian government admits crucial pensions' reform will be hard to pass Congress

    Senate chief Eunicio Oliveira said the federal military intervention in Rio blocks any measure requiring a constitutional amendment, including pensions' reform.

    Brazil’s political affairs minister Carlos Marun said on Monday that passage of a bill to overhaul the country’s costly social security system has effectively ground to a halt in Congress and would become a campaign issue in this year’s election.

  • Tuesday, February 20th 2018 - 09:23 UTC

    Union leader political rally in Buenos Aires to challenge Macri and his policies

    Moyano and his teamsters, supported by the bank employees and teachers unions are protesting against a 15% cap on the next round of salary negotiations

    The Argentine powerful teamsters union will be holding their first political rally in downtown Buenos Aires this Wednesday in a clear defiance of President Mauricio Macri's policies to combat inflation, launch the economy and attract foreign direct investors. Hugo Moyano a member of the unions' umbrella organization has promised to convene some 300.000 workers and has anticipated that any incidents will be the responsibility of the government.

  • Tuesday, February 20th 2018 - 07:14 UTC

    Falklands' second commercial air link invitation delivered to Uruguay

    Argentine ambassador Mario Barletta, foreign minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa and British Chargé d'affairs Rossa Commane at the letter delivery ceremony

    Representatives from Argentina and the United Kingdom formally delivered on Monday, to the Uruguayan foreign minister a letter jointly issued by the two governments requesting assistance in contacting local airlines and inviting them to communicate their interest in establishing a new weekly scheduled air service to and from the Falkland Islands.

  • Monday, February 19th 2018 - 09:14 UTC

    Venezuela launches its “Petro” crypto-currency, backed with oil, on Tuesday

    “On Tuesday, there will be quite a few announcements about the start of the process,” Vargas said

    Venezuela’s “Petro” crypto-currency will attract investments from Turkey, Qatar, the U.S., and Europe, the country’s crypto-currency regulator, Carlos Vargas, told reporters. The Petro will be offered for sale this Tuesday, February 20th, and comes as Venezuela is suffering from quadruple-digit inflation and chronic shortages of food and medicine.