Argentina Has Last Chance to Influence U.S. Court in Bonds Case

Argentina has what may be its last chance to influence a U.S. appeals court considering a lawsuit over the country’s attempts to avoid paying holders of its defaulted debt.

Brazil's February Unemployment Rate Rises To 5.6% -IBGE

RIO DE JANEIRO--Brazil's unemployment rate rose for a second-consecutive month in February as companies continued to trim payrolls of seasonal workers, but local wages advanced in an ominous sign for inflation.

Argentina to offer holdouts mix of Par, Discount bonds: report

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina, battling to avert a fresh debt crisis, plans to offer suing "holdout" creditors a 25-year bond equal to the face value of their debt when the country defaulted in 2002, local financial daily Ambito Financiero reported on Wednesday.

Brazil Economists Boost 2013 Selic Forecast Third Straight Week

Analysts covering Brazil’s economy raised their forecast for the benchmark rate at year-end, as policy makers seek to control accelerating annualized inflation in the world’s second-biggest emerging market.

Mexico's January Economic Activity Rose 3.2% From a Year Before

MEXICO CITY--Mexico's economic activity expanded more than expected in January, rising 3.2% from a year earlier and recovering from a weak performance in December, according to data reported Monday by the National Statistics Institute, or Inegi.

IMF Backs Latin American Measures to Ease Impact of Inflows

The International Monetary Fund said it supports measures that would ease the impact of capital flows into Latin America that have caused some of the region’s currencies to climb at the fastest pace in the world.

Colombia Surprises With Half-Point Rate Cut Citing Low CPI

Colombia’s central bank unexpectedly accelerated the pace of interest rate cuts, citing weak growth, below-target inflation and the slow transmission of previous stimulus.

Brazil Current Account Gap Widest for February as Exports Fall

Brazil’s current account deficit was the widest ever for the month of February, as exports fell while imports rose.

Peru Sol Holds Within 0.1% of Three-Week High on Tax Payments

Peru’s sol held within 0.1 percent of a three-week high as local companies sold greenbacks to pay taxes, offsetting the central bank’s dollar purchases to stem appreciation.

Can Latin America ride out the global economic storm?

Latin America has stayed afloat during the global economic crisis in part because of a wave of high commodity prices. But a new IADB report indicates this may not last.

WTO faults Argentina on trade policy, data transparency

GENEVA: The World Trade Organization added its voice on Wednesday to criticism of the quality of Argentina's inflation data, and said the country's restrictive trade policies could fuel price pressures.

Brazil's Rousseff as popular as ever

BRASILIA (Reuters) - The Brazilian economy is hardly growing and inflation is rearing its head, but President Dilma Rousseff's popularity continues to climb to new highs.

Analysis: Mexico peso rise tests central bank's hands-off stance

(Reuters) - Mexico's peso is scaling new highs amid confidence in the country's reform push, a likely credit ratings upgrade and profit taking after last week's interest rate cut, sparking speculation about how far it will rise before authorities act.

Argentina's dictatorship economy chief Martinez de Hoz dies

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Jose Alfredo Martinez de Hoz, economy minister during the most brutal years of Argentina's "dirty war" dictatorship and architect of some of the crisis-prone nation's most infamous economic experiments, has died at age 87.

Brazil's Rousseff to change agriculture, aviation ministers: source

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff will replace her agriculture and civil aviation ministers, in the first of a Cabinet shuffle that is not expected to change her economic team, a government source said.

Argentina's Pope Bergoglio a moderate focused on the poor

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - The first Latin American pope, Argentina's Jorge Bergoglio is a theological conservative with a strong social conscience, known for his negotiating skills as well as a readiness to challenge powerful interests.

Analysis: After Chavez, Latin America's ideological battle may ease

CARACAS (Reuters) - Hugo Chavez's exit from the world stage may take the sting out of an ideological battle that has enveloped Latin America since a new batch of leftists started taking power about 15 years ago to challenge U.S. "imperialism".

Peru Keeps 4.25% Rate as CPI Slows Amid Stable Growth

Peru kept borrowing costs unchanged for a 22nd consecutive month as policy makers expect inflation to converge to the mid-point of their target and economic growth to exceed 6 percent.

Mexico Unexpectedly Cuts Key Rate for First Time Since 2009

Mexico’s central bank unexpectedly cut its benchmark interest rate for the first time since 2009 as inflation remains within the target range and growth slows.

Argentina's Leading Index Points To Stagnating Economy

BUENOS AIRES -(Dow Jones)- Argentina's economy appears to be on track to expand only slightly if at all over the next three to six months, according to the closely watched monthly leading indicator published by Torcuato Di Tella University.

Brazil's Strengthening Currency Poses Competition Problem

Brazil‘s currency, the real, is strengthening again. It’s now around R$1.98 to the dollar. It was a weaker R$2.10 in December.

In Latin America, U.S. Would Rather Talk About Villains than Partners

It is quite possible that the only president of Latin American countries most non-Latino Americans can reliably name is Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez, who died March 5 at the age of 58. The reason for this is two-fold, and significant in terms of where we go from here.

Chile growth, foreign policy propel Pinera approval near two-year high

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Billionaire President Sebastian Pinera's popularity rebounded to 38 percent in February, a near two-year high, on approval of Chile's robust economic growth and foreign policy, pollster Adimark said on Tuesday.

Mexican Peso May Gain as Aussie Falls, Chandler Says: Tom Keene

Falling commodity prices and a slowing economy will weaken the Australian dollar as the undervalued Mexican peso climbs, according to Marc Chandler at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.

Insight: Brazil's leftist president fights to win back business

BRASILIA (Reuters) - The conversations with Brazil's top business leaders often last two hours, and up to four. President Dilma Rousseff asks detailed questions but otherwise listens intently, staring back with an inscrutable frown that occasionally unnerves her guests.

Colombia's Grupo Sura Will Keep On Acquisition Streak - CEO

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--Colombia's financial-services group Grupo de Inversiones Suramericana (GRUPOSURA.BO, GIVSY) wants to keep expanding in Latin America and the Caribbean for the time being, including through the acquisition of assets that troubled European banks could be shedding in the region, a top executive said Saturday.

Mexico's ruling party convenes to seek change on tax, energy

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party begins a congress on Saturday to overhaul its manifesto and open the door to major changes in energy and tax law to spur faster economic growth.

Brazil Economy Disappoints With More Slow Growth in 2012

BRASILIA-- Brazil's economy expanded at an annualized rate of 2% in the last three months of 2012, following a slew of government measures intended to spur growth, but still a pace that is frustrating investors who had seen Latin America's largest nation as one of the major drivers of a global economic recovery.

Q&A: Argentina's NY court showdown on default debt

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Judgment day is approaching in an epic battle between Argentina and New York billionaire Paul Singer, who has sent lawyers around the globe trying to force the South American country to pay its defaulted debts.