Economy

• Thursday, June 12th 2014 - 06:42 UTC

  IMF launches Global Housing Watch to keep track of markets across the world

  

  The International Monetary Fund (IMF) launched on Wednesday the Global Housing Watch, a webpage (www.imf.org/housing) dedicated to featuring its analysis on housing markets across the world. The page will provide a one-stop shop for the Fund’s Global House Price Index and other data on housing indicators.

• Thursday, June 12th 2014 - 06:35 UTC

  Argentina and Brazil extend auto industry accord until July 2015

  

  Argentina and Brazil finally on Wednesday in Buenos Aires a deal for automotive trade between the two nations, which will be valid until July 2015 and aims to revive the sector which has seen heavy falls in activity (and jobs) since the beginning of this year.

• Thursday, June 12th 2014 - 06:30 UTC

  Brazil increases cultivation area and expects record grain harvest in 2014

  

  Brazil, one of the world's leading agricultural producers, expects a record grain harvest this year of 192.3 million tons, up 2.2% from 2013, the IBGE statistics agency said this week.

• Wednesday, June 11th 2014 - 02:02 UTC

  Argentina port strike at soy-harvest peak, delays 126 ships queuing to load

  

  A strike of dock workers in Argentina's grains and oilseeds export hub Rosario was holding on Tuesday for the second day running 126 ships, which are queuing and waiting to load.

• Wednesday, June 11th 2014 - 01:54 UTC

  China's Yuan gaining ground as world currency even for the US

  

  SWIFT's Tracker for the Chinese currency (Yuan or Renminbi, RMB) shows that United States' Yuan payments value increased by 327% between April 2013 and April 2014, placing the United States at number three 3 in the world for payments value, excluding China and Hong Kong.

• Wednesday, June 11th 2014 - 01:48 UTC

  Uruguay issues 2 billion dollars of new 2050 global bond to help spread the country's debt

  

  Uruguay issued 2 billion dollars of a new 2050 global bond on Tuesday at a spread of 165 to 170 basis points over U.S. Treasuries as part of the government's bid to put less strain on its accounts in the near- and medium-term, it was reported.

• Monday, June 9th 2014 - 20:52 UTC

  Positive scenario for Argentina's decisive battle with hedge funds later this week

  

  New York judge Thomas Griesa rejected last week a request by hedge fund investor Paul Singer to chide Argentina over its apparent “best option” plan to default on all its debt should it lose its last-chance appeal later this week before the US Supreme Court.

• Monday, June 9th 2014 - 16:06 UTC

  May inflation in Brazil moderates but drought-stricken food prices still impact

  

  Brazil's monthly consumer prices index slowed in May versus the previous month, but not as much as expected, as the impact of one of the worst droughts in decades in food prices receded only partially. The IPCA rose 0.46% compared with a 0.67% climb in April, the Brazilian Geographic and Statistics Institute, or IBGE, said.

• Monday, June 9th 2014 - 07:45 UTC

  Hillary Clinton favors easing US economic embargo on Cuba

  

  While secretary of state, Hillary Clinton urged President Barack Obama to ease the U.S. economic embargo against Cuba, according to excerpts from her memoir due out next week.

• Monday, June 9th 2014 - 06:27 UTC

  FAO Food Price Index down for the second consecutive month in May

  

  The FAO Food Price Index was down for the second consecutive month in May, continuing its retreat from the 10-month high it experienced in March. Prices fell as generally ample supplies weighed on international prices for most commodities included in the Index.