Brazil Economy To Pick Up In Second Half - Central Bank Head

LONDON--Economic growth should accelerate in Brazil in the second half of 2012, the country's central bank chief said Friday.

Peru's Humala says to boost social spending to avert conflicts

LIMA (Reuters) - President Ollanta Humala vowed on Saturday to ramp up social spending for the poor as he tries to spread the benefits of an economic boom to all Peruvians and defuse conflicts over mining that have marred his term.

Argentine leader grants vast powers to adviser

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentina's president granted vast new power over the nation's economy Friday to a young firebrand who was the brains behind the takeover of YPF from Spain's Repsol oil company.

Colombia finmin expects slower 2012 growth, wants rate cut

(Reuters) - Colombian Finance Minister Juan Carlos Echeverry said on Tuesday that the Andean country would grow more slowly than expected in 2012 at 4.5 percent versus 4.8 percent previously, hit by falling growth in agriculture and industry.

Brazil Central Banker Says Economy In Recovery

Brazil’s weak economy will be flexing its muscles heading into the second half and likely grow at 4 percent in annualized terms, Brazil’s Central Bank president Alexandre Tombini told reporters in a conference call on Monday.

Latin America: Is China now bad for business?

LIMA, Peru — The global economic malaise may finally be about to hit Latin America’s booming economies as the motor of their growth, Chinese demand, starts to rev down.

Mexico's Pena Nieto backs stronger trade ties with Asia

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico must look to increase its trade with Asia, especially if the U.S. economy does not improve, President-elect Enrique Pena Nieto was quoted as saying on Monday.

Steep hike in customs fees leaves many Cubans fuming

HAVANA (Reuters) - A sharp increase in customs duties has angered many Cubans and cast a shadow over market-oriented reforms on the communist-ruled island advocated by President Raul Castro.

Argentine Factory Output Tumbles as Brazil Buys Fewer Cars

Argentina’s industrial production fell more than 4 percent for a second straight month in June, the biggest two-month drop in a decade, as slowing growth in Brazil undermines automobile exports and steel production.

Brazilian stocks post second consecutive advance

LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) — Brazilian stocks rose Wednesday as steel producer Usiminas gained on a ratings upgrade and after the U.S. central bank chief said the world’s largest economy is still seeing some growth.

Analysis: Job challenge looms for next Mexican president

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - In a country beset with drugs wars and a massive underground economy, Mexico's president-elect faces a tall order to stem the drift of young people into organized crime and off-the-books work: create jobs, lots of them.

Brazil’s Petrobras Raising Prices as Rivals’ Sales Drop

Petroleo Brasileiro SA, the worst- performing major oil stock this year, is raising fuel prices even as a recession in Europe and slowdown in China reduces revenue at global energy providers.

Foreign Policy: Give Mexico A Chance

Mexico's tepid economic performance in the last decade has been a major disappointment — and is one reason why the PRI, the less-than-democratic political party that was ousted in 2000 after 71 years of rule, has just returned to power in the country's presidential election.

Jindal Steel Sets New Deadline to Resolve Bolivia Impasse - Executive

Jindal Steel & Power Ltd. (532286.BY) has given the Bolivian government more time to resolve issues holding back the Indian company's iron-ore mining and steelmaking project, after its earlier deadline to pull out of the South American country expired Sunday.

Brazilian stocks, currency fall after rate cut

LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) — Brazilian stocks fell Thursday, with an interest-rate cut by the central bank to a new historic low underscoring concerns about the pace of slowing in Latin America’s largest economy.

Analysis: Latin America's love affair with China may sour

MEXICO CITY/SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Latin America has developed a dangerous dependency on China as a voracious consumer of commodity exports and the region now faces a potential hit as the huge Asian economy cools.

Brazil Retail Sales Fall Most Since 2008 as Shoppers Pinched

Brazil’s retail sales fell in May by the most in more than three years, as indebted consumers failed to respond to government measures to spur demand.

Mexican peso drops on euro zone anxiety

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Brazil's real and Mexico's peso traded little changed on Monday as worries weighed that euro zone finance ministers would offer little in the way of containing a crisis that has been hurting Latin American economies.

Cuban bank deposits abroad plummet

MIAMI -- Cuban bank assets deposited in foreign financial institutions that belong to an international reporting system showed a stunning plunge of $1.55 billion, or 24 percent, in just the last three months of last year.

Ecuador Seeks Liquidity Loan as Correa Loses Oil Funding

Ecuador is seeking a $515 million loan from the Latin American Reserve Fund to shore up liquidity as falling oil prices leave President Rafael Correa looking for new ways to fund spending.

Brazil June inflation at lowest level in 2 years

Brazilian inflation slowed in June to its lowest level in nearly two years thanks to temporary tax cuts on vehicles and lower fuel prices as the government seeks to boost the economy.

Argentine economy: still too risky for investors, but speculators love it

A recent leading economic indicator, published by Torcuato Di Tella University, put odds of a recession in the Argentine economy at 95% for a second consecutive month.

Solar, wind energy a missed opportunity for Cuba

RAMON GORDO, Cuba (AP) — The sleepy country setting that farmer Juan Alonso calls home hasn't changed much since he was born 74 years ago, with the two rustic wooden houses nestled among palm trees against a backdrop of green hills and clear skies.

Brazil, Losing Momentum

Brazil has lost its momentum. If it ever had any following a dismal 0.2 percent print in the national GDP in the first quarter.

Analysis: Mexico's creaky economy to test Pena Nieto's ambitions

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's creaky domestic economy, riddled with monopolies and inefficiencies, makes the next government's goal of boosting growth to rates last seen in the 1970's seem like a pipe dream.

Chile Stocks End Sharply Higher but Close 2Q With 6.3% Decline

Chile's IPSA select-stock index closed sharply higher Friday on global market euphoria fueled by the outcome of a European leaders' summit, but posted a 6.3% decline in the second quarter as the euro zone's debt crisis hurt markets worldwide.

Rousseff still popular despite Brazil's economic lull

(Reuters) - President Dilma Rousseff is enjoying record approval ratings as Brazilians laud her efforts to lower interest rates and jumpstart the country's stalled economy, a poll showed Friday.

Mercosur welcomes Venezuela, suspends Paraguay

MENDOZA, Argentina (Reuters) - The Mercosur trade bloc - which includes regional heavyweights Brazil and Argentina - will make Venezuela a full member next month, uniting South America's biggest grains and energy exporters.