
Brazil's central bank announced a currency-intervention program on Thursday that will provide 60 billion dollars worth of cash and insurance to the foreign-exchange market by year-end, a move aimed at bolstering the country's currency, the Real which has slipped to near five-year lows against the dollar.

The Falkland Islands Government notes the update provided by Premier Oil today (Thursday) regarding the progress of the Sea Lion oilfield development in the North Falkland Basin, and “supports the proposed phased development concept which will help mitigate local infrastructure and capacity pressures during peak development activity”.

Leaders of some of Argentina's most important business groups praised the meeting held in Rio Gallegos with president Cristina Fernandez, where the head of state spoke with representatives of companies, banks and unions for more than three hours.

Argentina approved a contract to purchase railway equipment from a Chinese firm, said the government gazette. The contract was signed by the Argentine Ministry of the Interior and Transportation and the Chinese firm CSR Qingdao Sifang Co, Ltd on May 23, 2013 and officially approved with Administrative Decision 584/2013.

Argentina's trade surplus shrank by 40% in July from a year earlier as surging fuel and auto imports increased pressure on President Cristina Fernandez government's system of currency controls. However the unemployment rate in the second quarter fell to 7.2% according to official data.

YPF, the energy company in which Argentina holds a majority stake said its next shale oil and gas partnership will be with a group including China’s Cnooc. A deal is expected to be signed sometime next month.

The mayor of Rio de Janeiro has said it is a shame his city will be hosting the Olympic Games in 2016 because Brazil lacks a sports policy. Eduardo Paes said that his city should not pay for high performance athletes.

Argentina's ambassador to Britain said on Wednesday she had not meant to offend British Prime Minister David Cameron when she called him dumb and his handling of the long-running dispute over the Falkland Islands foolish and totally useless.

Chilean president Sebastián Piñera has instructed Foreign minister Alfredo Moreno to immediately contact Argentine authorities following the decision by the government of President Cristina Fernandez ordering Lan Chile to move out from the metropolitan airport of Aeroparque in Buenos Aires.

Mercosur as an only market ‘remains a fiction’ since it is missing the effective implementation and ironing out of trade and macroeconomic reforms, said Uruguayan foreign minister Luis Almagro, who went on to promote “double and triple membership” for Mercosur members.