Investments

• Saturday, January 25th 2014 - 03:25 UTC

  Argentina rolls back dollar restrictions hoping to contain market volatility; Monday test day

  

  Argentina lifted on Friday restrictions on personal US dollar purchases for citizens, ending a prohibition on greenback savings that began at the end of 2011. The new measures, which occur one day after both the official and parallel 'blue' dollar saw record rises, were announced in a short press conference by Cabinet Chief Jorge Capitanich and Economy Minister Axel Kicillof. The measures become effective from Monday onwards.

• Saturday, January 25th 2014 - 00:28 UTC

  Mantega insists that the Mercosur/EU trade agreement includes Argentina

  

  Mercosur is preparing for trade negotiations with the European Union and they include Argentina, said on Friday Brazilian finance minister Guido Mantega at the World Economic Forum taking place in Davos, Switzerland. The comment seems to contradict other recent statements which said the trade deal with the EU will go forward with or without a reluctant Argentina.

• Friday, January 24th 2014 - 02:15 UTC

  Argentina: in chaotic trading dollar jumps 12.4% in one day to 8 Pesos in the official market

  

  In a day of chaotic trading the Argentine Peso on Thursday again plummeted against the US dollar losing 12.4% of its value in the official market, ending the day at just over 8 Pesos. In earlier operations the dollar was selling at 8,31 Pesos until the Central bank decided to intervene helping to cool the market.

• Friday, January 24th 2014 - 02:09 UTC

  Argentine 2013 trade surplus down 27%, helping with the dollar shortage

  

  Argentina's trade balance during 2013 left of surplus of 9.24 billion dollars, 27% less than in the previous year (12.42bn), according to the latest release from the official stats office, indec. Exports in the past year grew by 3% to reach a value of 83bn dollars, while imports rose by 8% and totaled just over 74bn.

• Friday, January 24th 2014 - 02:07 UTC

  Blatter confident it will be a great Cup, after meeting Brazil president Rousseff

  

  FIFA president Sepp Blatter played down concern about sluggish World Cup preparations on Thursday, even when his deputy warned Curitiba must prove it can finalize work to remain a venue. Blatter met visiting Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff at FIFA headquarters in Zurich and the pair both made positive noises about Brazil's ability to deliver come the big kick-off on June 12.

• Thursday, January 23rd 2014 - 21:26 UTC

  Panama Canal expansion will be completed in 2015 “no matter what”, says minister

  

  Work to enlarge the Panama Canal will be completed in 2015 no matter what, Panamanian Finance Minister Frank De Lima said on Wednesday, despite the continuing feud over cost overruns with contractor GUPC. The Panama Canal authority “has strongly affirmed that the canal would be complete in 2015, with or without” the GUPC consortium, the minister told the media on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

• Thursday, January 23rd 2014 - 21:21 UTC

  Brazil's vulnerable transport system again exposed as Rio commuter train accident sowed chaos

  

  A commuter train in Rio de Janeiro left the tracks and hit a pole supporting power lines early Wednesday, causing no injuries but sowing widespread chaos across the overburdened public transportation system of Brazil's Olympic city which next June/July will host several World Cup matches.

• Monday, January 20th 2014 - 22:04 UTC

  Rockhopper finance director steps down but will remain as a consultant

  

  Falkland Islands oil and gas exploration company, Rockhopper Exploration confirmed Monday that its finance director, Peter Dixon-Clarke, plans to step down from his position in early 2014.

• Friday, January 17th 2014 - 07:57 UTC

  Falklands oil companies agree on tension leg platform for development of Sea Lion field

  

  The Tension Leg Platform option is the most suitable technical and commercial solution for the development of the Falklands' Sea Lion field, according to the recommendation from field operator Premier Oil, said Rockhopper Exploration in an official release, which also announced further drilling is expected in the next twelve months.

• Friday, January 17th 2014 - 07:54 UTC

  Falklands Sea Lion in 'the mid to longer term projects' of Premier Oil

  

  UK independent Premier Oil reported Thursday that its production rate peaked at 75,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day during December, when the average rate was 69,000 boepd. Premier said that average production for 2013 as a whole was 58,200 boepd, compared to an average rate of 57,700 boepd for 2012.