
Falkland Islands oil explorer Rockhopper Exploration Plc has confirmed cost cuts at its Sea Lion project, which will reduce the scheme´s break-even price to US$ 45 a barrel. Capital investment at Sea Lion to reach first oil is now estimated at US$ 1.5bn.

Seed and chemical giants Bayer and Monsanto said on Wednesday that they will merge to become one of the world’s biggest agriculture giants, a 66 billion-dollar mega-deal that could reshape the future of farming and enhance their influence over the planet’s food supply.

The United States Export-Import Bank said it would begin offering financing in Argentina for the first time since the country's economic meltdown in 2001 and 2002. In previous decades the bank provided low-rate loans to support local investment, including the construction of one of the main highways leading into this city.

German industrial conglomerate Siemens AG signed a letter of intent on Wednesday to participate in up to US$5.6 billion of energy, transportation and infrastructure projects in Argentina, Chief Executive Joe Kaeser said.

British Petroleum is looking to increase its investments in Argentina after seeing “tremendous change” in the country since President Mauricio Macri took office nine months ago, CEO Bob Dudley said on “Bloomberg Markets” this week. Argentina just “feels different,” Dudley told Bloomberg's Erik Schatzker at the inaugural Argentina Business Investment Forum in Buenos Aires.

The Falkland Islands Government, FIG, and Falkland Islanders have welcomed the announcement of a new £20m landmine clearance commitment by the UK which will make safe dozens of areas which have been unusable for residents and visitors. The project financed by the Foreign Office and Ministry of Defense will clear 46 minefields over the next two years and prepare for clearance another 27. So far more than 30 minefields have been cleared in the Falklands in recent years and this is in line with the UK obligations under the Ottawa Treaty.

The Falkland Islands Government (FIG) welcomed the UK/Argentina future cooperation agreement to remove all obstacles limiting the economic growth and development of the Falkland Islands and points out it will be represented at future discussions on these matters, the removal of sanctions on hydrocarbons, fisheries, shipping and tourism, and underlines that sovereignty of the Falkland Islands will not be part of these discussions.

Canada's Agrium and Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan said they would combine, a deal that would create a fertilizer and farm retailing giant with pro-forma enterprise value of US$36 billion but also trigger U.S. regulatory scrutiny.

Brazil on Tuesday launched a multibillion-dollar plan to auction off oil, power rights and infrastructure concessions, in an attempt by the new government to bolster private investment in a moribund economy. The government will sell operating licenses for airports in the cities of Porto Alegre, Salvador, Florianopolis and Fortaleza by the first quarter of 2017. It also plans to sell rights to operate federal roads in the center-west and south regions later next year.

Argentine president Mauricio Macri described as a “gesture” the attendance of Foreign Office minister Alan Duncan at the Business and Investment forum in Buenos Aires, and anticipated that UK and Argentina are preparing a bilateral meeting next week in New York on the sidelines of the annual UN general assembly to address all issues including Falklands/Malvinas.