Mercosur

• Thursday, March 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  OPEC decision soothes world oil markets

  Oil markets stabilized following the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries decision to leave production at a near a two-decade high. Meeting in Vienna OPEC agreed to keep quotas at 28 million barrels a day, Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi told reporters.

• Thursday, March 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Japan ready for interest rate soft take off

  Following a two days meeting the Bank of Japan announced Thursday new guidelines for monetary policy, which have been interpreted as possible changes to its near zero interest rate policy.

• Thursday, March 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Morales/Rice meeting in Chile confirmed

  Bolivian president Evo Morales confirmed he will be meeting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Chile during the taking office ceremony of elected Chilean president Michelle Bachelet scheduled for next Saturday.

• Thursday, March 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Bank of England leaves rates unchanged at 4.5%

  The Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee maintained Thursday its key interest rate at 4.5% for the seventh month in a row, continuing its wait-and-see policy on the British economy.

• Thursday, March 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Latinamerica trade surplus with US expands 5.4%

  Latinamerica and the Caribbean trade surplus with United States expanded 5.4% last January reaching 9.2 billion US dollars reported the US Department of Commerce.

• Thursday, March 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Venezuela says US leads in human rights abuse

  The Venezuelan government rejected Thursday the Venezuela chapter of the annual United States report on human rights and recommended Washington to get its own house in order before criticizing other countries.

• Thursday, March 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  FAM controversy in Brazil delays livestock elimination

  Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture began this week sacrificing livestock in the south of the country where the recurrence of an outbreak of foot and mouth disease was reported.

• Thursday, March 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Mercosur/EU to resume trade negotiations in Brussels

  Mercosur and European Union representatives will again sit at the negotiation table at the end of the month, this time in Belgium, to try and advance the stalled association and trade talks between the two blocks.

• Wednesday, March 8th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil President Lula da Silva welcomed by Queen Elizabeth II.

  Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva received a lavish welcome from Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday, but he has more than pomp and ceremony planned for his three-day state visit to Britain.

• Wednesday, March 8th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  “Strategic alliance” with Argentina, Chile's top priority

  Consolidating relations with Latinamerica and “most particularly” with Argentina, plus Peru and Bolivia are foreign relations “top priorities” of the incoming administration of elected Chilean president Michelle Bachelet.