Venezuela´s state-run oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), may sell natural gas to Caribbean countries, drawing on reserves from its offshore Deltana Platform fields, according to reports from local newspapers. Up to 500 million cubic feet of natural gas may be produced daily from Block 1 of the Deltana Platform, which could be used to supply members of Venezuela´s PetroCaribe initiative, the El Universal newspaper said, citing Eulogio Del Pino, a member of PDVSA ´s board of directors.

Mexicana de Aviacion has strengthened its relationship with PROS Revenue Management by licensing the PROS O&D revenue management solution. Sergio Allard, chief sales and marketing officer for Mexicana, said that the company has already experienced how effective revenue management can impact financial results and the airline is now looking to achieve even higher revenues by combining O&D revenue management solution with enhanced network management business processes provided by PROS.

Trade among members of the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI) is forecast to reach $74 billion this year, up 24 percent from 2004. An ALADI report shows that “during the first nine months of 2005, trade among association members remains steady, although at a more modest rate than in 2004, which was a historic year with 37 percent. Anyhow, the trade flow increase in this period is 26,5 percent which is significant”.

Intercontinental Hotels Group has reported a nearly 15 percent fall in third-quarter operating profits. The group operating profit skidded from £102 million to £87 million, due to disposals of owned hotels. The group said its outlook for the full year was positive and promised more cash for shareholders.

Brazil´s central bank cut the benchmark lending rate to a nine-month low last week in a bid to shore up an economic expansion. The nine-member board led by central bank President Henrique Meirelles lowered the benchmark overnight rate by half a percentage point to 18.5 percent. The rate slash is the third since September, when industrial output rose at its slowest pace in more than two years.

Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo raised the forecast for economic growth in 2005 to 7 percent, a percentage point higher than the previous estimate, as exports of copper, gold and fishmeal surge. The pace of expansion will make Peru the world´s sixth- fastest growing emerging-market economy, Toledo told Lima-based radio station Radioprogramas last week.