Tables turned, EU seeks free trade deals in Latin America

Although the Latin American-European trade summit hosted in Chile’s capital this past weekend commanded less attention than the World Economic Forum in Davos, the summit in Santiago highlighted a growing rift in Latin America on the question of free trade.

Brazil Economists Raise 2013 CPI, Lower GDP for Fourth Week

Analysts covering Brazil boosted their forecast for 2013 inflation and cut their growth estimate for the fourth straight week, as price pressures continue strong even as the economy struggles to accelerate.

Mexico Posts Trade Surplus in December and for 2012

MEXICO CITY--Mexico posted a trade surplus of $962 million in December amid expectations for a trade deficit, pushing the 2012 trade balance to a surplus of $163 million, the National Statistics Institute, or Inegi, said Friday.

Time to open up to trade, EU tells Argentina, Brazil

SANTIAGO: EU leaders told Argentina and Brazil on Saturday to open up their markets and push ahead on a free-trade deal that would be a major prize for Europe as it tries to emerge from three years of economic crisis.

Venezuela's Chavez in "best moment" since surgery: VP Maduro

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is in his "best moment" since undergoing cancer surgery in Cuba 45 days ago, the vice president said on Saturday, adding Chavez has made important economic decisions to strengthen exports.

Ascendant Latin America Seeks to Recast European Ties

LONDON — There was a time when Europe regarded Latin America as a stagnant economic backwater, dependent on selling its natural resources to pay its debts and ruled over by a variety of disagreeable despots.

IMF Sees Latin America Economic Growth at 3.6% This Year

MEXICO CITY--The International Monetary Fund has cut its economic growth projection for Latin America this year to 3.6% from 3.9%, due to a more muted outlook for Brazil, according to its World Economic Outlook released Wednesday.

Brazil's Real Opens Stronger, Recouping Friday Losses

SAO PAULO--With little volume due to the U.S. holiday, Brazil's real opened slightly stronger against the dollar Monday, recouping the previous trading day's losses.

Costa Rica’s Currency Tumbles as Capital Controls Bill Filed

Costa Rica’s currency tumbled a day after the government announced measures to slow capital inflows that President Laura Chinchilla called “weapons of mass destruction” against the nation’s economy.

Argentina's November GDP Proxy Confirms 4Q Recovery

BUENOS AIRES--Argentina's economy continued to expand at a modest pace in November, confirming expectations that a recovery took hold in the fourth quarter.

Brazil Industrial Capacity Use Rose in November; Another Sign of Gradual Recovery

BRASILIA--Brazil's economy is showing more signs of a gradual acceleration, with industrial capacity use figures released Thursday the latest positive indicator.

Mexico's Pena Nieto to launch drive to end hunger

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto unveils his plans to eradicate extreme poverty on Monday, a blight affecting more than 10 percent of the population in Latin America's second biggest economy.

Strategic Implications of Shale Gas Development in Argentina

The Argentinean natural gas market, once a net exporter, has in the last decade become a net importer as supplies of natural gas have dwindled.

Mexico Peso Drops as Global Growth Concern Damps Export Outlook

Mexico’s peso dropped the most in three weeks as signs of a stalled global recovery damped the outlook for the Latin American country’s exports.

The Sun Will Rise Again For Brazil

Brazil has disenchanted investors over the last couple of years: economic growth has slowed down considerably, structural problems are becoming more evident, and Brazilian stocks have underperformed other markets in recent years.

Latin America worries about U.S. economy

The fiscal debate in the United States has become a recurrent issue that keeps the world, and Latin America and Caribbean economies in particular, in suspense.

Mexico's Auto Output Flat in December, But 2012 Marks Record High

MEXICO CITY--Mexico's auto production was nearly flat in December, and exports fell, but 2012 overall was a record- high year for both output and sales abroad, the Mexican Automobile Industry Association, or AMIA, said Thursday.

Argentina Just Might Get Its Act Together

Argentina seems to be on a collision course of its own making. Inflation is soaring and investment is on the wane.

Brazil backs away from budget target policy pillar

(Reuters) - The Brazilian government is willing to relax its fiscal discipline to prioritize economic growth in 2013, Treasury chief Arno Augustin told Reuters, backing away from one of the country's main economic policy pillars of the last decade.

Latin America's New Credit Frontier

MEXICO CITY-Latin American banks are experiencing a sharp rise in "payroll loans" that are repaid through deductions from workers' paychecks.

Chilean Economy Grew Faster-Than-Forecast 5.5% in November

Chile´s economy grew 5.5 percent in November from the year before, beating estimates made by analysts on gains in the service, mining and retail industries.

Colombia Dissenting Interest Rate Decision Signals Further Cuts

More than one of Colombia’s seven central bank board members voted for a bigger interest-rate cut than the majority agreed to last month, fueling speculation that further reductions are likely.The peso fell.

Brazil 2012 Trade Surplus Narrows to $19.44 Billion Vs $29.79 Billion in 2011

BRASILIA--Brazil registered a narrower trade surplus in 2012 as weak global economic growth reduced demand for the country's products abroad.

Chavez Cancer Imperils $7 Billion Caribbean Oil Funding: Energy

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s battle with cancer threatens $7 billion of subsidized oil exports that help prop up Cuba’s economy and contain inflation in Caribbean nations from Jamaica to the Bahamas.

Colombia's minimum wage rises 4% despite union objections

Colombians going to work in 2013 found themselves earning 4.02% more than last year – but trade unions are not happy.

Brazil proposes looser fiscal rules to spur growth

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil's government has proposed changes to a fiscal responsibility law that set the foundation for a decade of economic prosperity in Latin America's largest economy, two local newspapers said on Saturday.