brazil

Brazil is probably the most exciting investment prospect in the Western hemisphere over the next decade, but with its rapid growth comes issues, some of which we've outlined in the past. [Aug 1, 2011: Bloomberg - Bad Debts Begin to Snare Banks in Brazil, India, and China]  [Mar 25, 2011: Brazil's...

Risk is back on and that means Champagne corks are again popping in emerging markets. Since the world is not ending, money should start rushing back to emerging markets as cheap (read free) US dollars seek out positive returns. Where else is there growth? Sure ain't much in the US or in Europe...

Although the United States was able to maintain its AAA credit rating with the top three ratings agencies after it avoided a default on its debt, a little known Chinese rating agency has lowered its rating of American debt from A+ to A with a negative outlook. Earlier this week, President Barack...

A new partnership could help to bring bio-plastics to medicine cabinet near you. Dow Chemical (NYSE: DOW) and Japan's Mitsui have formed a new Brazilian joint venture in order to turn sugar cane into ethanol and plastic. The pair plan on creating the world's largest integrated facility for...

It's no secret that the four BRIC nations of Brazil, Russia, India and China are growing their economies like weeds. When Jim O'Neill first created the group in 2001, much of their growth stories were still unknown. Today, a quick Google search and investors can find hundreds of stories about the...

While the U.S. housing sector seems to be stuck in reverse gear, Latin America's home builders continue to boom. According to the Brazilian Association of Real Estate and Tourism, the nation faces a shortage of almost 8 million homes. This boom is being driven by the growth of new potential buyers...

French President Nicolas Sarkozy spoke on Tuesday at the European Union's headquarters in Brussels. In his speech, he called for tighter controls on derivatives trading in commodity markets. Sarkozy remarked that the world had worked hard to restore economic growth after the global financial...

Brazil's Petrobras (NYSE: PBR) sits over an ocean of oil. When the company discovered its elephant find in the Tupi fields of the Santos Basin, Petrobras virtually grew Brazil's oil and gas reserves by nearly 50%. However, that oil is located approximately seven miles below the surface of the ocean...

Brazilian ethanol, which is made from sugarcane, has traditionally been one of the cheapest sources of biofuels around. However, according to the U.S. commerce department, Brazil imported nearly 70 million liters of corn-based US ethanol in 2010, up from just 1 million in 2009. The surge in ethanol...

Holiday traffic is a familiar sight all over the world. So it's no surprise that during the long Easter weekend, many Brazilians have left the confines of their cities to spend some time relaxing with their relatives around the country. However, what is surprising is the sheer volume of traffic....