
Santiago de Chile has the highest skyscraper in South America: the Gran Torre Costanera reached this condition when it surpassed the 300 metres height. The 107.125 square metres block has been designed by Chilean architects Alemparte, Barreda & Associates together with Pelli, Clarke, Pelli Architects, responsible for the Petrona Towers in Kuala Lampur.

HSBC Holdings Plc said a 1 billion dollars increase in its wages bill in Brazil, China and other emerging markets was the price of avoiding the stagnant growth which has dogged some rival lenders more dependent on Europe.

Spain's Repsol and China's Sinopec have made an oil discovery offshore Brazil that could be one of the biggest so far in the area and that boosted confidence that across in Africa, Angola's deepwater reserves may be abundant too.

Spain’s main corporations are freezing investments in Latinamerica this year with no chances of an increase given the risk of the global financial crisis hitting negatively in the region, particularly Brazil and Mexico.

The Falkland Islands Director of Minerals Stephen Luxton said that estimates published last week in the UK, of revenue of 180 billion dollars for the Falklands Government from oil production are only a “best case” scenario since in spite of great potential, the only true test is the drill bit.

Falklands’ oil explorer Desire Petroleum Plc (AIM:DES) will be making presentations this week at the North American Prospect Expo (NAPE) in Houston.

The Argentine newspaper Ambito Financiero reported on Friday, without revealing sources, that oil exploration rig Leiv Eiriksson, contracted by two oil companies to drill to the south of the Falkland Islands “was found, on Thursday, exploring in Argentine waters”, according to ‘irrefutable’ satellite images.

A leading UK market and investment analyst, Edison Investment Research looks at the prospects of the Falkland Islands oil industry and suggests the industry could be worth 180 billion dollars in royalties and taxes.

The Argentine government faced with growing resistance to mining projects without the proper environment and resources assurances, which has led to demonstrations and sometimes violent clashes with police, has sponsored the creation of the Federal Mining Organization which brings together all those provinces with mining interests.

Uruguay’s hydrocarbons refining company Ancap signed on Tuesday an agreement with US company Schuepbach Energy to begin exploration for oil and gas in the north and centre of the country.