Mercosur

• Saturday, November 13th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Aerolíneas del Sur ready for take off.

  If the Chilean Civil Aviation Agency in its November 17 meeting authorizes Aerolíneas del Sur operations in Chile's domestic market, the inaugural flight to Punta Arenas is scheduled for December 5 and the following day return to Santiago.

• Saturday, November 13th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil signs lucrative deals with China.

  President Lula da Silva announced the recognition by Brazil of the Chinese status as a market economy,'' Hu said after the meeting in the presidential Planalto Palace. ??I wanted to express my thanks for that recognition.''

• Friday, November 12th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil Hot News

  Headlines:
  Consumer prices contained in Brazil; Petrobras invests in oil and gas rigs; Brazilian industry expands 7,6%; Palocci insists with fiscal surplus.

• Friday, November 12th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  President to go to Chile ?soon'

  President Néstor Kirchner yesterday told Chilean Interior Minister José Miguel Insulza that he will visit the neighbouring country soon, in a gesture to further cool down a diplomatic spat sparked by the comments of Chilean Foreign Minister Ignacio Walker against the ruling Peronist party.

• Friday, November 12th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Repsol YPF lifts Jan-Sep. gas output 12%.

  Spanish oil company Repsol YPF increased its total gas production 11.8% to 598,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day (boe/d) in the first nine months of 2004 thanks to higher production in Bolivia, Argentina and Trinidad & Tobago, the company said in its earnings statement.

• Friday, November 12th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Prince Harry in Argentine polo horse farm.

  Prince Harry, son of Prince Charles and Lady Diana arrived this Friday in Buenos Aires where he will be working in a breeding polo horses' farm until the end of November.

• Friday, November 12th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazilian businessmen criticize the Mercosur “anchor”.

  A group of Brazilian businessmen will request the Lula de Silva administration to step back from Mercosur, interrupting the customs union process, reported this Friday Roberto Gianetti da Fonseca, International Relations Director from the all powerful Sao Paulo Federation of Industries, FIESP.

• Thursday, November 11th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  US basic rate climbs to 2% .

  The United States Federal Reserve Open Market Committee rose this Wednesday its key federal funds rate by 25 points to 2%, the fourth increase since last June. Although markets were expecting such a move it's the highest since November 2001 when the Fed stated to lower rates in an effort to contain the effects of an incipient recession and the impact of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

• Thursday, November 11th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile's farm exports up 24% in nine months.

  Chile's agricultural and forestry exports totalled $5.67 billion US dollars during the first nine months of this year, a 24% over the same period in 2003, reported the Agriculture Studies and Policies Office, Odepa.

• Thursday, November 11th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  ENAP profits in nine months: 145 million US dollars

  ENAP, Chile's government owned oil company managed a consolidated profit equivalent to 145,3 million US dollars during the first nine months of 2004, but because of the strong appreciation of the Chilean currency against the US dollar, profits were actually 28,5% less than in the same period of 2003 (203,3 million US dollars).