Category: Companies
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Europe’s Top Banks Are Cutting Losses Throughout Latin America
European banks are on the retreat all across Latin America.Societe Generale SA announced in February that it’s dismissing more than 1,000 workers while exiting the consumer-finance business in Brazil. In August, HSBC Holdings Plc sold its unprofitable Brazilian unit, with more than 20,000 employees. Two months later, it was Deutsche Bank AG’s turn. The German…
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Shares Drop As Commodity Saga Continues, Finance Minister Out?
Some headlines from Brazil, with the iShares MSCI Brazil Capped exchange-traded fund (EWZ) down 2.4% Local press reports in Brazil Wednesday said Brazil’s Finance Minister Joaquim Levy could be replaced within months as the economy and currency collapse. Brazil President Dilma Rousseff may choose Henrique Meirelles, a former central bank president. Brazil’s government says it…
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Oil Workers Strike in Brazil for Wages, Investments, Assets
Twelve oil work unions which are part of the Oil Workers Federation (FUP) in Brazil began on November 1st, a strike at Petrobras refineries all over the country. According to union officials, strikers are protesting against Petrobras’ asset sales, investment cuts, project suspensions, and reduction of some workers’ rights. “The strike was agreed upon more…
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Brazil Says Any Oi-TIM Deal Would Be Studied Closely
The Brazilian government would study any potential merger or acquisition agreement between telephone companies Oi SA and TIM Participações SA closely to avoid too much concentration in the sector, Communications Minister André Figueiredo said Tuesday.Oi announced Monday that LetterOne, an investment firm led by Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman, is planning to invest $4 billion in…
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New investments signal turnaround in Brazil ethanol industry
Improved returns from sales at home and abroad are unleashing the first major flurry of investment in Brazil’s struggling ethanol industry in nearly a decade, with at least nine companies expanding or building new capacity. Medium-sized private mill Rio Verde said it would double ethanol output over the next two years to capture resurgent biofuel…
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Mikhail Fridman Proposes $4 Billion Investment in Oi of Brazil
The Russian oligarch Mikhail Fridman may spend as much as $4 billion to expand his telecommunication holdings into South America.On Monday, the Brazilian telecommunications company Oi said that Mr. Fridman’s investment group, LetterOne, had given it a proposal to invest in a possible merger of Oi with Telecom Italia’s local operator, TIM Participações. “In accordance…
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CADE Approves Merger of TOTVS and Bematech
TOTVS S.A. (BM&FBOVESPA: TOTS3) (“TOTVS”) and BEMATECH S.A. (BM&FBOVESPA: BEMA3) (“Bematech”), in addition to what was informed by the companies on August 20, 2015 and September 03, 2015, hereby jointly announce that, on this date, the decision of CADE’s General Superintendence, approving the merger of Bematech’s shares by Makira II Empreendimentos e Participações S.A. (“Makira…
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Travelers Buys Majority Stake in J. Malucelli to Grow in Brazil
The property casualty business, in which Travelers is now 95% stakeholder, will operate under the Travelers brand. The business will now focus on property, general liability, construction and financial insurance products. The company expects to serve its customers with enhanced and expanded product and services and hence capitalize on the opportunities in the Brazilian market…
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Vale proposes slashing dividend amid uncertain commodities outlook
Vale (NYSE:VALE) proposes cutting dividends even more than planned, looking to pay $500M for the second tranche of its 2015 dividend, half the $1B it proposed in January.The company says the reduction in the second dividend installment to ~$0.10/share (as of Aug. 31) reflects “the more uncertain scenario for mineral commodities prices and the focus…