Mercosur

• Tuesday, July 19th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Strong expansion of industrial activity and revenue

  Industrial activity in Argentina increased 6,4% during June compared to a year ago accumulating a 7,2% expansion in the first half of the year according to the latest release from the Statistics and Census Office.

• Tuesday, July 19th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Positive facts, negative expectations

  Chile registered the lowest country risk rating in Latinamerica with 59 basic points reflecting the excellent moment of the country's economy and government finances.

• Tuesday, July 19th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Petrobras signs oil export contract to China

  Brazil's government owned Petrobras announced Monday the signing of a contract for the export to China of 12,000 bpd of crude adding that it expects sales of petroleum products to reach a billion US dollars annually in five years.

• Tuesday, July 19th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  US travellers to Cuba drops drastically

  The number of United States travellers to Cuba has dropped drastically over the past year reported Monday the Miami press.

• Tuesday, July 19th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina bans sales of scrap copper

  Because stealing electricity cables has become so widespread, Argentina decided Monday to suspend for 90 days all exports of scrap copper.

• Tuesday, July 19th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean companies resume overseas investments

  Chilean companies overseas investments reached 766 million US dollars in the first half of 2005, which represents a 30% drop compared to the same period in 2004 and a 36% over the second half of 2004.

• Tuesday, July 19th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Fisheries Hot news

  Headlines:
  
  Argentina evaluates changes to vessel sanction system; Chile promotes jumbo squid extraction in Region V.

• Monday, July 18th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Bush lobbying strongly for “pro-jobs” Cafta

  Facing continued political resistance in the Lower House, United States President George W. Bush took his defense of the Central American Free Trade Agreement directly to the industrial heartland with a visit on Friday to a textile factory in North Carolina.

• Monday, July 18th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Alvarez admits he will “consider” a cabinet post

  Former Argentine vice-president admitted his interest in a cabinet post in the president Kirchner administration, following the mid term October election results.

• Monday, July 18th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Machu Picchu park forest on fire

  A forest fire which broke out in the world known Archeological Machu Picchu Park in the Andes highlands has been burning for the last four days with little prospects of a quick extinction reports the Peruvian newspapers.