
Brazilian assets soared, with the Bovespa surging above 83,000 for the first time ever, and the currency Real surging through 3.20 after three judges in a local appeals court upheld a conviction for corruption imposed last July on ex-President Lula da Silva.

Argentine President Mauricio Macri and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, signed on Tuesday a declaration aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation during a press conference at the Kremlin. Macri told Putin that he hoped this marked the first of many visits to the Russian capital and highlighted their countries’ mutual interests.

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi arrived in Uruguay on Tuesday night for a three-day official visit which includes meetings with his peer Rodolfo Nin Novoa, president Tabare Vazquez and holding a round of talks to promote trade and discuss the possibility of a bilateral agreement.

Enough is enough, an end to the bloated state and its fiscal voracity, so that Uruguayan farmers can recover competitiveness, was the clear message from tens of thousands who gathered in central Uruguay to express their disenchantment with president Tabare Vazquez administration attitude towards the rural sector.

President Donald Trump's decision on Monday to impose stiff tariffs on imported solar panels and washing machines has stirred concerns around the world, including North America. Mexico says it regrets the U.S. decision not to exclude it from these new tariffs. And it's vowing to take action to halt Mr. Trump's latest salvo on global trade.

Argentine president Mauricio Macri arrived on Monday evening to Moscow the first leg of his latest tour of European countries, and the first of 2018, with the purpose of promoting Argentina and attracting investments. In Moscow president Macri and First Lady Juliana Awada are scheduled to meet with president Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin.

The Emirates airline has announced an order for up to 36 Airbus A380s. The US$16bn deal amounts to a reprieve for the A380 after Airbus threatened to stop making the jet if it could not come to a deal with Emirates.

China invested US$20.9 billion in Brazil in 2017, the most since 2010 as a recession helped push down asset prices and attracted investors, according to Brazil’s planning ministry.The energy, logistics and agriculture sectors drew the most Chinese capital, including investments in Brazil’s rich pre-salt oil fields and China’s State Power Investment Corp US$2.25 billion deal to operate the São Simão hydropower plant.

Uruguayan farmers with their tractors, harvesters, trucks, vans and on horseback took to the roads to protest the cost of fuel, power, increased taxes and an over bloated national budget and bureaucracy which they blame for making several farm activities unprofitable, and have had an overall negative impact for the different camp activities.

Petrobras has completed the previously announced sale of shares in several Brazilian fields to France’s Total for US$1.95 billion it was confirmed. The deal was announced as part of the two companies’ Strategic Alliance, signed in March 2017.