Economy

• Friday, February 27th 2015 - 05:46 UTC

  Argentine Congress approves 'strategic integral alliance' agreements with China

  

  Despite the strong questioning from the opposition, the manufacturers' lobby and many unions, the Argentine ruling coalition mustered sufficient votes in the Lower House to pass the controversial package of cooperation, economic and investment agreements between Argentina and China.

• Thursday, February 26th 2015 - 04:14 UTC

  Brazilian lawmaker wants closer ties with 'Falklands' and even considers 'a friendship forum'

  

  Brazilian federal Deputy for the southern state of Santa Catarina Celso Maldaner who last week visited the Falkland Islands said he wants to 'influence and push' for a commercial opening of Brazil with the Islands, since he believes there is great potential for making business particularly regarding fisheries and tourism.

• Wednesday, February 25th 2015 - 05:27 UTC

  Argentina will appeal on Thursday Judge Griesa's 'contempt of court'

  

  The Argentine government will present on Thursday its appellant’s brief over the contempt of court ordered by New York Judge Thomas Griesa, the Economy Ministry has confirmed. Griesa had ruled Argentina in contempt of his orders due to working on a plan to shift control over payments of its restructured debt to Buenos Aires.

• Wednesday, February 25th 2015 - 04:38 UTC

  German court rules against Argentina on bonds' interest payments

  

  Argentina lost a ruling at Germany’s top civil court over interest payments on bonds it sold to investors in the European country that don’t have terms that allow for restructuring by a majority vote of creditors, according to a report from Bloomberg at Karlsruhe.

• Wednesday, February 25th 2015 - 04:33 UTC

  HSBC reports 17% fall in annual pretax profit; 3.7bn provision for settlements and fines

  

  HSBC reported a 17% fall in annual pretax profit and cut its profitability target, saying allegations its Swiss business had helped customers to dodge taxes had brought shame on the bank. Results from Europe's biggest bank reflected the cost of past misconduct and of protecting itself against the impact of further scandals.

• Wednesday, February 25th 2015 - 04:23 UTC

  HSBC singles Brazil, Mexico and U.S. as 'problem areas': 12/24 months to prove their worth

  

  HSBC singled out three large markets in the Americas, Brazil, Mexico and the U.S., as problem areas in which its businesses need to shape up or face restructuring, including possible asset sales. “We're talking of 12 to 24 months”.

• Tuesday, February 24th 2015 - 04:46 UTC

  Brazil expects to bolster growth with fiscal discipline starting 2016

  

  Brazil needs to act quickly to stabilize its finances and get rid of measures used to stimulate growth during the global downturn in order to bolster expansion in 2016, Finance Minister Joaquim Levy said on Monday.

• Tuesday, February 24th 2015 - 04:03 UTC

  Argentine 50-Peso bill in March dedicated to “Malvinas Islands. A sovereign love.”

  

  Argentina's Central bank will make available next March the new 50-peso bill paying tribute to Argentina’s sovereignty over the resource-rich archipelago, under the slogan “Malvinas Islands. A sovereign love.”

• Saturday, February 21st 2015 - 05:17 UTC

  Argentina suggests Judge Griesa to remove Pollack, since he favors 'holdouts'

  

  Argentina's Economy minister Axel Kicillof suggested on Friday that no negotiation is possible with the holdout funds as long as 'special master' appointed by US Judge Thomas Griesa continues in his post, since ”he clearly favors 'vulture funds' (holdouts)”.

• Friday, February 20th 2015 - 05:05 UTC

  UK inflation 0.3% in January on cheaper petrol and food prices

  

  The rate of UK Consumer Prices Index inflation fell to 0.3% in January, its lowest level since records began. Cheaper petrol and lower food prices, helped by a supermarket price war, cut the rate from 0.5% in December, Office for National Statistics figures show.