Economy

Thursday, April 30th 2026 - 13:25 UTC
Brazil's fiscal deficit climbs to 9.41% of GDP amid economic slowdown and election year

Brazil's nominal public sector deficit reached 9.41% of gross domestic product in the twelve months to March 2026, nearly one percentage point higher than the previous period, according to data published on Thursday by the Central Bank. The combined shortfall of all public administrations — central government, states, and municipalities — stood at 1.21 trillion reais, equivalent to around $244 billion, in one of the highest readings in recent years for Latin America's largest economy.
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Thursday, April 30th 2026 - 13:09 UTC
US intervention forces end to decade of statistical opacity at Venezuela's Central Bank

The Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV) has begun systematically publishing economic indicators that had been held under wraps for at least a decade, in an institutional shift driven by the US military intervention that culminated on January 3 with the capture of former president Nicolás Maduro and by the subsequent reconfiguration of Venezuela's financial system under Washington's oversight. The updating of historical series on the central bank's website now makes it possible to learn for the first time in years that monthly inflation reached 32% in January, 14.6% in February and 13.1% in March, while the year-on-year figure stood at 649.5% at the end of the first quarter.
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Wednesday, April 29th 2026 - 15:11 UTC
Chile's labor market hits 38 months of unemployment above 8% as growth forecast is revised down

Chile's unemployment rate stood at 8.9% during the moving quarter from January to March 2026, a 0.2 percentage point increase over twelve months, according to data released on Wednesday by the National Statistics Institute (INE). The figure exceeded market expectations, which projected 8.6% according to the Bloomberg consensus, and completes 38 consecutive months with the indicator above 8%, confirming a structural weakness in the Chilean labor market that remains one of the main concerns of President José Antonio Kast's administration, in office since March 11.
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Wednesday, April 29th 2026 - 13:49 UTC
UK government borrowing costs rise to their highest since 2008 financial crisis

The extent to which UK is exposed to the ongoing energy shock, as a consequence of the Iran war, and fears or rising inflation, was exposed by the British government’s borrowing costs that have risen to their highest level since the 2008 financial crisis.
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Wednesday, April 29th 2026 - 13:46 UTC
US/Iran war lifting oil prices, but benefiting countries such as Australia, Norway and Brazil

The US-Iran conflict has propelled currencies from energy-exporting countries into the limelight, with windfall profits from exports of oil, gas and metals helping them to outperform the US dollar.
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Wednesday, April 29th 2026 - 02:02 UTC
Argentina expects to raise $2 billion from privatizations this year, says Minister Caputo

Argentina's Economy Minister Luis Caputo announced on Tuesday that the state expects to raise around $2 billion before year-end through a package of privatizations and concessions of public companies, in what constitutes one of the pillars of President Javier Milei's economic program and a central commitment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The remarks were made at Expo EFI, the country's main economics and finance forum, on a day when the government took concrete steps on at least two of the most significant operations on its agenda.
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Tuesday, April 28th 2026 - 19:20 UTC
United Arab Emirates leaves OPEC amid energy crisis fueled by Iran war

The United Arab Emirates announced on Tuesday its withdrawal from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the broader OPEC+ alliance, in a decision taking effect on May 1 that constitutes one of the most significant blows to the oil cartel in its more than six decades of existence. The announcement comes amid the largest energy crisis in years, triggered by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the war between the United States and Iran launched on February 28, and on the eve of the OPEC meeting scheduled for Wednesday in Vienna.
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Monday, April 27th 2026 - 15:00 UTC
Brazilian platform to track commodity chains ahead of EU deforestation rules

A new Brazilian digital platform began operating on Monday to cross-check social and environmental data and support the tracing of commodity chains linked to deforestation, land conflicts and other rural violations.
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Monday, April 27th 2026 - 14:40 UTC
Argentine economy ministry secretary resigns over seven undeclared properties in Miami

Argentine Economy Minister Luis Caputo on Sunday accepted the resignation of Infrastructure Coordination Secretary Carlos Frugoni, following a media investigation that revealed the official failed to declare to Argentine tax authorities seven apartments in the state of Florida, acquired through two limited liability companies incorporated in Delaware. Frugoni, who had been in the post for just four months, now faces a complaint for alleged illicit enrichment and malicious omission in his asset declarations.
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Thursday, April 23rd 2026 - 12:28 UTC
Latin America's largest investment bank targets Uruguay as regional hub after acquiring local HSBC unit

Brazilian group BTG Pactual, Latin America's largest investment bank, is awaiting authorisation from Uruguay's Central Bank (BCU) to begin operating in the local financial market following its $175 million acquisition of HSBC Uruguay, agreed in July 2025. Group executives expect regulatory approval to come through by mid-year, allowing them to begin operations gradually in the second half of 2026.