Mercosur

• Tuesday, August 31st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Oil industry brings Norway and Brazil closer.

  The Brazilian business delegation present at the Oil Offshore Northern Seas fair in Norway captured deals worth over 50 million US dollars, the establishment of two oil industry support plants in Brazil and prospects of closer working contacts with the Norwegian government owned Statoil.

• Tuesday, August 31st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Lan Chile sparks congressional debate.

  The Lower House of the Chilean Congress will be debating in the coming days a report from the Extreme Zones Committee on the Chilean domestic air market which among other proposals recommends splitting Lan Chile's dominating position and tackling “only operator” situations such as happens with Magallanes Region.

• Tuesday, August 31st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Test feeding Chilean abalone with kelp.

  Findings related to innovations in algae farming and subsequent impact on breeding invertebrate herbivores mainly abalone, were presented last August 19 in Puerto Montt during the conference on ”Macrocystis pyrifera (kelp) farming in Chile”, sponsored by the Chilean Promotion Fund for Scientific and Technological Development, FONDEF.

• Tuesday, August 31st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Mexico finds massive oil deposits but?.

  Mexico's government owned Petroleos Mexicanos, Pemex, has discovered and mapped huge deep water oil reserves in the Gulf of Mexico increasing the country's reserves to the tune of the main league of world producers, reports the Mexican press.

• Tuesday, August 31st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Financial crisis cost Argentine Treasury 28 billion

  Abandoning the exchange rate fixed parity policy of one US dollar equivalent to one Argentine peso in January 2002 cost Argentina an additional 28,184 billion US dollars in sovereign debt according to the latest release from the Finance Ministry.

• Tuesday, August 31st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Joint naval exercises in Beagle channel.

  Chilean and Argentine naval units begin this Wednesday the annual Viekaren VI2004 exercise which involves search and rescue operations in Antarctic waters in preparation for the coming Antarctic season.

• Tuesday, August 31st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  IMF Rato's visit to Argentina: “short and productive”

  The International Monetary Fund and Argentina will resume discussions “once we have had a chance to assess the outcome of the debt restructuring and the continued further work on the structural issues”, according to a short release from the IMF following Managing Director Rodrigo de Rato “short and productive” visit to Buenos Aires this Tuesday.

• Monday, August 30th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  35,5 million US citizens below poverty line.

  In spite of clear signals of economic recovery the number of poor people in the United States increased 1,3 million during 2003, reaching 35,9 million, according to the latest official data from the US Census Bureau.
  Children and the black population seem to be the most vulnerable.

• Monday, August 30th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Unemployment remains stubbornly high.

  Unemployment in Chile during the May-July quarter reached 9,7%, a tenth of a point above the April-June quarter and six tenths higher than in the same period a year ago.

• Monday, August 30th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Record private credit for Chilean salmon farming

  Cultivos Marino Chiloé one of the top ten salmon farming industries in Chile managed to obtain a record syndicated loan of 61 million US dollars. The operation is considered a turning point for the industry which for the last twenty years has had private credit access difficulties.