Mercosur

• Monday, March 8th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Foreign investment in Chile drops

  Foreign investment in Chile totalled 2,464 billion US dollars in 2003, a significant 35,5% drop compared to 2002.

• Monday, March 8th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Lula under pressure from his party

  Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is under strong pressure from his party high ranks and the business community to impose changes in his administration's orthodox economic approach.

• Monday, March 8th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Latinamerica hits the US election race

  Democrat presidential candidate John Kerry attacked President George Bush for only remembering the US Hispanic vote, (eight million), and Latinamerica when on the campaign trail for his re-election.

• Monday, March 8th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Anne Krueger IMF Acting Managing Director

  International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Horst Köhler resigned March 4 following his nomination for the German Presidency. Effective immediately, the Managing Director will excuse himself from official IMF business. First Deputy Managing Director Anne Krueger will be Acting Managing Director until the IMF's Executive Board names a successor to Mr. Köhler.

• Monday, March 8th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Skeleton 4,000 years old found in Tierra del Fuego

  Anthropologists and geologists from the Austral Scientific Research Centre, Cadic, in Ushuaia have found in the north coast of Argentine Tierra del Fuego the buried body, surprisingly well conserved of an adult that lived in the area 4,000 years ago.

• Monday, March 8th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  US Ambassador cautions President Lula da Silva

  United States Ambassador in Brasilia Donna Hrinak cautioned president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to “carefully calibre his opposition” in crucial issues for the Bush administration such as the current situations in Venezuela and Cuba.

• Sunday, March 7th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Breaking News.

  Aerolíneas Argentinas has big plans for Chile;
  Argentine natural gas exports increase;
  Confidence in sheep farming is returning.

• Friday, March 5th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Key ECB interest rates remain unchanged

  The governing council of the European Central Bank, meeting in Frankfurt, decided this Thursday to keep the basic exchange rate unchanged at 2%, despite calls for reduced rates from political leaders in Germany and France.

• Friday, March 5th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Bank of England keeps rates on hold at 4%

  The Bank of England decided to keep United Kingdom interest rates on hold at 4%. Last February in an attempt to cool consumer spending and the housing market the bank's Monetary Policy Committee voted to increase rates to 4% from 3,75%.

• Friday, March 5th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  IMF chief next president of Germany

  International Monetary Fund Managing Director Horst Koehler was officially presented this Thursday as the Conservative opposition candidate for president of Germany which almost ensures his access to becoming head of state next May 23.