Mercosur

• Thursday, November 16th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Lula da Silva calls for “boldness” to boost economy

  Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called for “more boldness” to help the country's economy expand at an annual 5% beginning 2007, in spite of recent forecasts from government offices indicating this can only be possible in ten years time.

• Thursday, November 16th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Cent Am summit targets corruption

  The presidents of Central American countries have signed a pact at the opening of an anti-corruption summit.

• Thursday, November 16th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Annan urges action on global warming

  The UN chief lamented “a frightening lack of leadership” in fashioning next steps in reducing global emissions.

• Thursday, November 16th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  China's industrial production hectic pace softens

  China's industrial output grew at its slowest annual rate in almost two years last October according to the latest official release. Although production increased by 14.7% over October 2005, it was down from the 16.1% growth in September.

• Thursday, November 16th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  US economic data gradually improving

  United States consumer prices dropped 0.5% in October on the back of cheaper oil for the second month in a row according to the latest release from the Labor Department.

• Thursday, November 16th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Immigrants' contribution to Spanish boom

  Immigration in Spain which jumped fourfold in the last six years is responsible for half the economic growth of the country in the last decade helping to reduce unemployment and improve revenues.

• Wednesday, November 15th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Lula orders a bold plan

  Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva ordered his top advisers yesterday to craft a bold plan to spur South America's largest economy, which he has said can grow at least five percent annually.

• Wednesday, November 15th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Europe needs a “monetary shield”

  French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin yesterday called for euro-zone countries to devise a foreign exchange policy to promote growth and jobs and protect industry.
  ??Europe needs a monetary shield,'' Villepin said.

• Wednesday, November 15th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  US census: ethnic economic gaps persist

  Blacks and Hispanics still have substantially lower incomes than white US citizens and are more likely to fall below the poverty line, according to data from the US Census Bureau released on yesterday.

• Wednesday, November 15th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Sunken vessel's cargo delights archeologists

  Marine archeologists in Spain said yesterday that the shipwreck of a first-century vessel carrying delicacies to the richest palates of the Roman Empire had proved to be a dazzling find, with bones still nestling inside two-handled clay jars of fish sauce.