Over the past few years, Brazil has held several very successful oil auctions under production-sharing contracts in its pre-salt layer, attracting major oil companies to its prized offshore oil area.
Uruguay’s budget deficit soared to 3% of GDP in the twelve months to the end of October, the highest since November 2003, (3.1%) when the country was recovering from the financial crisis which spilt over from Argentina. The deficit also exposes Uruguay’s precarious power generating situation.
Spain’s economy is forecasted to contract in the first quarter of 2012 after shrinking in the previous six months admitted Economy Minister Luis de Guindos confirming analysts’ expectations that the Euro zone fourth largest economy is already in recession.
The International Monetary Fund backed the British government's plans to reduce the budget deficit, but said tax cuts or more quantitative easing may be needed if growth proves persistently weak.