Mercosur Turns 20 And Ruffles EU Feathers

MILESTONES: MERCOSUR   By Antonio Guerrero   The Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur) is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.   Argentine beef exports could threaten Europe's farmer The world’s third largest trade bloc, after the EU and Nafta, comprises ...

Analysis: Latin America Goes To Market

ANALYSIS: LATIN AMERICAN DEBT   By Denise Bedell   Latin America’s corporations are accessing both domestic and international debt capital markets as never before, and investors are happy to fund growth in the region.   Last year was a significant ...

Emerging Markets Roundup: Brazil

BRAZIL’S BLISTERING GROWTH RATE COULD HAVE ITS DOWNSIDE   By Antonio Guerrero   After enduring a 0.3% contraction in 2009, Brazil’s economy expanded by 7.5% in 2010, according to the country’s government.   Enjoying the excesses The sharp reversal represents ...

Brazil Faces Life After Lula

UPDATE: BRAZIL   By Antonio Guerrero   Brazil’s new president has already impressed the business community. But can she impress her own party?   Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff, a former Marxist guerrilla fighter, has gotten high grades from the nation’s ...

EM: Bovespa Eyes Other BRIC Markets

EMERGING MARKETS INVESTOR: NEWS   By Anita Hawser   As the world’s key stock exchanges engage in a flurry of mergers aimed at cutting costs and boosting efficiency, Brazil’s BM&F; Bovespa—the fourth largest exchange operator in the world—is looking to ...

Company To Watch: Industrias Bachoco / Mexico

INDUSTRIAS BACHOCO: POULTRY PRODUCER OFFERS PROTECTION IN TROUBLED MARKET   By Anita Hawser   In times of uncertainty investors often turn to so-called defensive stocks, and Mexico poultry producer Industrias Bachoco is certainly that.   Despite other problems that may ...

Emerging Markets Roundup: Brazil

ROUNDUP: BRAZIL   By Antonio Guerrero   Healthy demand for Brazilian equities is driving a rush to list on Brazil’s BM&F; Bovespa Stock Exchange.   BM&F; Bovespa: Business is booming With corporations showing an appetite for raising cash to finance ...

Mexico’s Uphill Struggle

COUNTRY REPORT: MEXICO   By Paula L. Green   Safeguards put in place after the Tequila Crisis helped Mexico’s banks ride out the recent global turmoil. Now they’re facing some new challenges.   On the spot: Mexico’s president Calderón faces ...

Emerging Markets Roundup: Brazil

ROUNDUP: BRAZIL   By Antonio Guerrero   The Brazilian government is taking further measures to halt a currency rally that may dent the country's trade surplus, with the real having gained more than 40% against the dollar since the end ...

Emerging Markets Roundup: Brazil

ROUNDUP: BRAZIL   By Antonio Guerrero   Rousseff: Getting off to a steady start Brazil's newly installed president, Dilma Rousseff, provided a firm indication of her administration's plan to continue the economic policies of her predecessor, Luiz Inácio Lula da ...

LatAm: Growth Brings Hope For Region’s Poorest

MILESTONES: LATIN AMERICA   By Antonio Guerrero   Looking up: Poverty is declining in Latin America Latin America's robust recovery from the global financial crisis is having an impact even on the poorest people in the region, according to a ...

Emerging Markets Roundup: Brazil

ROUNDUP   By Antonio Guerrero   Doubling up: Vale plans to ramp up spending next year Mounting concerns over Banco PanAmericano's liquidity sent its shares into freefall and prompted a government bailout. The bank—Brazil's 20th largest by assets—received a $1.5 ...

Emerging Markets Focus: Latin America

COVER STORY: MUTUAL BENEFITS   By Antonio Guerrero   Latin America is enjoying growing prosperity as the region develops ever-stronger economic ties with Asia.   When Chinese President Hu Jintao took his first tour of Latin America in 2004, he ...

Argentina: Unease With Profit-Sharing Plan

  NEWSMAKERS: ARGENTINA   By Antonio Guerrero   Kirchner: Hoping to mend fences with the unions A controversial profit-sharing bill submitted to Congress by Argentina's ruling coalition is becoming a proxy fight between the nation's labor and business sectors ahead ...

Best Derivatives Providers: Latin America

WINNERS: LATIN AMERICA   Best Derivatives Provider Société Générale Few other banks can claim as vast and deep a reach across the fragmented continent of Latin America—and across all classes of financial derivatives—as Société Générale. This is partly a function ...