Chile Bank Loans May Rise 2 Percent, Association Says

By Nathan Gill Sept. 3 (Bloomberg) — Bank lending in Chile probably will increase 2 percent this year as the economy rebounds in the second half from its deepest recession in a decade, the nation’s banking association said. Commercial loans and consumer lending should rise about 1 percent this year, the Asociacion de Bancos e… Read More Chile Bank Loans May Rise 2 Percent, Association Says

Chile’s Copec Rises Most in Two Weeks on Earnings Outlook

By Nathan Gill Sept. 2 (Bloomberg) — Empresas Copec SA, Chile’s largest producer of wood pulp, rose the most in two weeks on the prospect that gains in pulp prices may bolster earnings. The nation’s largest publicly-traded company gained 2.4 percent to 6,620 pesos in Santiago trading, its steepest climb since August 18. The BHKP… Read More Chile’s Copec Rises Most in Two Weeks on Earnings Outlook

Antofagasta Says Copper Demand to Increase This Month

By Matt Craze and Nathan Gill Sept. 1 (Bloomberg) — Antofagasta Plc, the copper producer controlled by Chile’s Luksic family, expects copper demand to increase this month, a company executive said. Demand should recover in September as industrial production in China expands and summer vacations in the northern hemisphere end, Marcelo Awad, chief executive officer… Read More Antofagasta Says Copper Demand to Increase This Month

Santander Chile Rises Most in Three Weeks on Earnings

By Nathan Gill Aug. 28 (Bloomberg) — Banco Santander Chile, the country’s biggest lender, rose the most in three weeks after reporting profit that exceeded some analysts’ projections. The Santiago-based bank gained 2.7 percent, the most since Aug. 3, to 27.72 pesos. The unit of Spain’s Banco Santander SA reported net income of 219.2 billion… Read More Santander Chile Rises Most in Three Weeks on Earnings

Goldman Sachs, Celfin to Sell Derivatives in Chile

By Nathan Gill Aug. 27 (Bloomberg) — Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Chilean brokerage and investment bank Celfin Capital SA agreed to develop derivative products for Chilean pension funds, the country’s biggest investors, Celfin said. Goldman Sachs and Celfin will create and market financial instruments, including cross-currency and interest-rate swaps, for the South American country’s… Read More Goldman Sachs, Celfin to Sell Derivatives in Chile

Chile Banks’ Combined Profit Rises 35 Percent in July

By Nathan Gill Aug. 27 (Bloomberg) — Chilean banks’ combined profit increased 35 percent in July from the previous month as greater confidence in the South American country’s economy boosted consumer lending. Net income this year through July was 634 billion pesos ($1.2 billion), the banking regulator wrote in a report e-mailed today, without giving… Read More Chile Banks’ Combined Profit Rises 35 Percent in July

Chile’s Copec to Buy Tafisa Brasil for $165.2 Million

By Nathan Gill Aug. 26 (Bloomberg) — A unit of Empresas Copec SA, Chile’s biggest pulp producer, agreed to buy Brazilian wood-panel maker Tafisa Brasil SA for about $165.2 million. Placas do Parana SA, a unit of Copec’s forestry subsidiary Celulosa Arauco y Constitucion SA, will buy 100 percent of the Brazilian company from Sonae… Read More Chile’s Copec to Buy Tafisa Brasil for $165.2 Million

Chile Finance Minister Velasco Says Economy Stabilized, Will Improve

By Nathan Gill Aug. 21 (Bloomberg) — Chilean Finance Minister Andres Velasco said the country’s economy has touched bottom and will show improvement in the third quarter as it emerges from its deepest recession in over a decade. The contraction of Chile’s gross domestic product, which began last year and has seen consecutive quarters of… Read More Chile Finance Minister Velasco Says Economy Stabilized, Will Improve

Chile Turkey Farms Quarantined After Swine Flu Found

By Nathan Gill and James Attwood Aug. 21 (Bloomberg) — Two Chilean poultry farms are under quarantine after swine flu was detected in turkeys, the first case of the virus found in birds, the nation’s health ministry and U.S. health officials said. Sopraval SA, the Santiago-based producer of poultry, beef and pork products, said agricultural… Read More Chile Turkey Farms Quarantined After Swine Flu Found

Chile’s Vapores and Samsung Heavy Reach Deal on Ship Contracts

By Nathan Gill Aug. 18 (Bloomberg) — Chile’s Cia. Sudamericana de Vapores SA, Latin America’s largest container ship company, reached an agreement with Samsung Heavy Industries Co. to change its ship-building contracts. Vapores, as the company is known, will buy five ships worth a total of $625 million from Seoul-based Samsung Heavy, the world’s second-largest… Read More Chile’s Vapores and Samsung Heavy Reach Deal on Ship Contracts

Chile’s Peso Falls as Copper Declines; Peruvian Sol Slides

By James Attwood and Nathan Gill Aug. 17 (Bloomberg) — Chile’s peso fell to a two-month low after copper, the country’s biggest export, declined and the U.S. dollar strengthened against major currencies. Chile’s currency, up 14 percent so far this year, dropped 1.3 percent to 558.75 per U.S. dollar at 12:01 p.m. New York time,… Read More Chile’s Peso Falls as Copper Declines; Peruvian Sol Slides

Chile’s Multiexport Foods Says First-Half Loss Widens on Salmon Virus

By Nathan Gill Aug. 15 (Bloomberg) — Multiexport Foods SA, Chile’s biggest publicly-traded salmon producer, said its first-half net loss widened on higher costs and lower sales related to a virus that has depleted fish stocks. The loss widened to $48.7 million from a $11.4 million loss in the year-earlier period, according to data posted… Read More Chile’s Multiexport Foods Says First-Half Loss Widens on Salmon Virus

Chile’s Cencosud Quarterly Profit Slides More Than Estimated

By James Attwood and Nathan Gill Aug. 14 (Bloomberg) — Cencosud SA, Chile’s biggest retailer by sales, posted a steeper-than-estimated drop in second-quarter profit on lower sales and currency losses. First-half net income fell 66 percent, the Santiago-based company reported in a regulatory filing today without giving separate second-quarter results. Second-quarter profit fell to 8.96… Read More Chile’s Cencosud Quarterly Profit Slides More Than Estimated

Chile’s Socovesa Reports First-Half Loss of 6.9 Billion Pesos

By Nathan Gill and James Attwood Aug. 14 (Bloomberg) — Socovesa SA, Chile’s second-biggest building company by market value, reported a first-half loss as an economic slowdown stifled new home sales. Socovesa, based in Santiago, lost 6.86 billion pesos ($12.4 million), compared with a profit of 2 billion pesos in the same six months last… Read More Chile’s Socovesa Reports First-Half Loss of 6.9 Billion Pesos

Chile’s Falabella Profit Falls 48% on Sales Drop, Currencies

By James Attwood and Nathan Gill Aug. 14 (Bloomberg) — SACI Falabella SA, Chile’s biggest retailer by market value, reported a 48 percent slump in second-quarter profit because of a drop in sales and foreign-exchange rate losses. Net income fell to 33.4 billion pesos ($60.5 million) from 63.7 billion pesos a year earlier, the Santiago-based… Read More Chile’s Falabella Profit Falls 48% on Sales Drop, Currencies

Chile’s Cap Seeks Changes to Bondholder Protection Covenants

By Nathan Gill and James Attwood Aug. 12 (Bloomberg) — Cap SA, the Chilean steelmaker that posted a first-half net loss yesterday, is seeking changes to bondholder protection rules governing capital requirements. Bondholders will be presented with a proposal on Aug. 28 to modify minimum capital levels, Banco Santander SA, which represents bondholders, said in… Read More Chile’s Cap Seeks Changes to Bondholder Protection Covenants

Chile Economy Showing Signs of Recovery, Finance Minister Velasco Says

By Nathan Gill and Sebastian Boyd July 23 (Bloomberg) — Chile’s economy may be starting to recover from its slump as extra government spending spurs growth, Finance Minister Andres Velasco said today. Velasco has spent more than $4 billion this year on tax cuts and extra outlays. He will pull $8 billion from Chile’s offshore… Read More Chile Economy Showing Signs of Recovery, Finance Minister Velasco Says

Zell’s Fund Chases Brazil Assets as Economy Recovers

By James Attwood and Nathan Gill July 23 (Bloomberg) — Sam Zell’s Equity International is seeking new real estate-related investments in Brazil as record low interest rates accelerate growth in Latin America’s biggest economy. Equity International is looking to tap Brazil’s “relatively immature” commercial real estate finance business after selling assets in Mexico and Chile,… Read More Zell’s Fund Chases Brazil Assets as Economy Recovers

Chile’s CMPC Rallies on Speculation Pulp Outlook Is Improving

By James Attwood and Nathan Gill      July 20 (Bloomberg) — Empresas CMPC SA, Chile’s second-biggest pulp producer, rose the most in 10 weeks on speculation that recovering demand and prices will boost earnings.      CMPC, controlled by Chile’s Matte family, climbed 6.7 percent to 15,591 pesos in Santiago trading. It was the biggest jump… Read More Chile’s CMPC Rallies on Speculation Pulp Outlook Is Improving

Chile’s La Polar Rises Most in 2 Weeks on Demand Speculation

By Nathan Gill      July 13 (Bloomberg) — Empresas La Polar SA, a Chilean retail company that targets middle-income earners, climbed the most in two weeks on speculation that central bank measures to reduce credit costs will boost consumer demand.      The department-store owner rose 2.6 percent to 1,940 pesos in Santiago trading, extending a… Read More Chile’s La Polar Rises Most in 2 Weeks on Demand Speculation

Enjoy Raises $42 Million in First Chile IPO This Year

By Nathan Gill      July 8 (Bloomberg) — Enjoy SA, a Chilean casino operator, raised 23.1 billion pesos ($42 million) in the Santiago stock exchange’s first initial public offering this year.      Enjoy sold 462 million shares for 50 pesos each, the Santiago-based company said in a statement today. The stock fell 1 percent to… Read More Enjoy Raises $42 Million in First Chile IPO This Year

Enjoy to Sell Shares for 50 Pesos Each in Chile IPO

By Nathan Gill      July 8 (Bloomberg) — Enjoy SA, a Chilean casino operator, said it will sell shares for 50 pesos each in the Santiago stock exchange’s first initial public offering this year.      The company will announce the full amount raised at a ceremony at the exchange today, according to a statement posted… Read More Enjoy to Sell Shares for 50 Pesos Each in Chile IPO

Chile’s Soquimich Falls Most in Two Weeks on Demand Outlook

By Nathan Gill      July 6 (Bloomberg) — Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile SA, Chile’s biggest fertilizer producer, dropped the most in two weeks on concern that a slump in grain prices may limit demand for the company’s products.      The Santiago-based company known as Soquimich fell 1.3 percent to 19,674 pesos in Santiago… Read More Chile’s Soquimich Falls Most in Two Weeks on Demand Outlook

Ugly Stories of the Peruvian Agrarian Reform (Review)

Enrique Mayer’s Ugly Stories of Peruvian Agrarian Reform, a “people-oriented kind of oral history,” provides a memory study of the 1969 land reforms enacted by Peruvian President Juan Velasco Alvarado. Written from the perspective of historical stakeholders and incorporating Mayer’s lifelong participation in the reforms as an academic observer, he weaves a series of testimonies into a larger narrative chronicling this period of “revolutionary reforms gone astray.” … Read More Ugly Stories of the Peruvian Agrarian Reform (Review)

Latin America Ministers Urge More Money for Lenders

By Sebastian Boyd and Nathan Gill      July 3 (Bloomberg) — Finance ministers from North and South America meeting in Chile agreed to push for more financing for multilateral lenders such as the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, Chile’s Andres Velasco said.      The IDB’s board may agree to vote for a capital… Read More Latin America Ministers Urge More Money for Lenders

Carstens Sees No Reason for Mexico Credit Rating Cut

By Nathan Gill and Jens Erik Gould      July 3 (Bloomberg) — Mexican Finance Minister Agustin Carstens said the country doesn’t have debt problems and there’s no reason for rating companies to cut its credit rating.      “We have a strong economy. We don’t have any external payment problems,” Carstens told reporters today at a… Read More Carstens Sees No Reason for Mexico Credit Rating Cut

Bachelet Says Chile Supports Recapitalization of IDB

By Sebastian Boyd and Nathan Gill      July 3 (Bloomberg) — Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said her government supports the recapitalization of the Inter-American Development Bank to help developing countries cope with declining capital flows.      Bachelet, speaking today to finance ministers from North and South America, urged member governments to help raise additional funding… Read More Bachelet Says Chile Supports Recapitalization of IDB

Chile’s La Polar Falls as Jobless Data Signals Consumer Slump

By Nathan Gill      July 2 (Bloomberg) — Empresas La Polar SA, a Chilean department store operator, fell to the lowest in a month on concern higher-than-expected unemployment in the U.S. and Chile may crimp consumer spending at the company’s stores. La Polar slid 2.6 percent to 1,910 pesos in Santiago trading, the lowest since… Read More Chile’s La Polar Falls as Jobless Data Signals Consumer Slump

Chile’s La Polar Falls Most in 7 Months After Merger Rejected

By Nathan Gill      June 30 (Bloomberg) — Empresas La Polar SA, Chile’s fourth-largest department store chain, sank the most in seven months after saying it rejected a merger offer from supermarket chain Omega SA.      La Polar fell 6.4 percent to 1,960 pesos in Santiago trading, its steepest drop since Nov. 20. The stock… Read More Chile’s La Polar Falls Most in 7 Months After Merger Rejected