Bloomberg Línea — After enduring two years of pandemic and one of the world’s longest lockdowns, Chilean health authorities have relaxed the mandatory use of face masks in outdoor spaces as of April 14, the Ministry of Health said on Tuesday after presenting a new plan to combat the coronavirus, and Uruguay’s Central Bank said Tuesday that during 2022 it will submit a project to the government aimed at regulating at least part of the cryptocurrency market.
On the region’s stock markets, Colombia’s COLCAP index rebounded after being one of the indices that fell the most in Latin America in Monday’s session, and closed Tuesday with a rise of 0.96%. The main index of the local stock exchange benefited from the performance of the shares of Ecopetrol (ECOPETL) and Canacol Energy, which were boosted by the increase in the prices of raw materials in the first hours of trading.
Following is a roundup of Tuesday’s news from Bloomberg Línea and Bloomberg reporters across Latin America.
Argentina:
- Food price caps enacted in Argentina have had a positive effect, with beef now cheaper in the country compared with Brazil, Chile and Uruguay, with February prices taken into account.
Brazil:
- The Brazilian real’s (USDBRL) rally is gaining steam as soaring prices for its commodity exports and one of the world’s highest interest rates fuel a lucrative carry trade for investors. Swiftly rising rates and the best performance for raw-materials prices in 30 years ignited a breakout start to the year. The carry trade -- what investors make by borrowing in dollars and buying local notes -- has produced a 24% return since the end of December, the most worldwide
Chile:
- After enduring two years of pandemic and one of the world’s longest lockdowns, Chilean health authorities have relaxed the mandatory use of face masks in outdoor spaces as of April 14, the Ministry of Health said on Tuesday after presenting a new plan to combat the coronavirus.
Colombia:
- While Colombia plans to export to the U.S. a surplus of about 40,000 barrels of oil, production has fallen by 0.11%, the Ministry of Mines and Energy said.
- The Ministry of Finance informed on Tuesday that it has successfully completed the first tranche of domestic public debt swaps for 2022, which will allow the country to reduce debt payments in 2022 and 2023.
Dominican Republic:
- In the 12 months between February 2021 and the same month of 2022, the Dominican Republic’s formal labor market added 563.9 new employees per day, about 23.5 jobs per hour. Formal jobs registered in the Dominican Social Security System totaled 2,167,741 in the month of February 2022.
El Salvador:
- After eliminating two fuel taxes and cutting VAT, the government of El Salvador has ordered a freeze of gasoline and diesel prices.
Mexico:
- Mexico added 64,566 jobs in March, a deceleration with respect to January and February, the Social Security Institute reported Tuesday.
Peru:
- The Peruvian government is analyzing whether to extend or suspend a curfew in Lima, part of a state of emergency imposed by the government to quell protests against the rising cost of living that left the streets of the metropolitan area half empty.