The goal of this course is to introduce students to the Argentina and MERCOSUR business world.The course covers modern Argentinean and Latin American economic history, the MERCOSUR and Argentine-Brazilian trade relations, the Argentine economy and the success of its many sectors, and prospects for its future.

The Latin American economy since the 1980s

•Oil shocks and debt Crisis and its impact in Latin America.
•The road to hyperinflation in LA
•Latin America and the globalization impact.
•Argentina’s Convertibility Law. Fixed exchange in the 1990s.
•The three major imbalances.
•The crisis of Brazil and Argentina crisis.
•The oil and food sectors in Latin America.
•Chile and Perú, vs Ecuador and Venezuela
•Perspectives and forecast for the Latinamerican Economy

Mercosur since Its Creation- BRAZIL

•Brazil`s economic performance in recent times.
•The trade balance with Argentina and the other member countries.
•The appreciation of the “real” currency.
•Brazilean growth and export policies.
Key Sectors in the Argentinean Economy. PART 1
•The agribusiness complex.
•Argentinean competitiveness in agribusiness.
•Recent developments in the main value chains.
•Foreign investments in the farming and agribusiness industries.

Government policies toward agribusiness exports.

•The domestic industries.
•Recovery of the main industrial sectors after the devaluation in 2002.
•World competitiveness of the argentinean industrial sector.
•The need of a high exchange rate.
•The impact of industrial development in the employment.
•Attractive sector for foreign investment.

Key Sectors in the Argentinean Economy. PART 2

•The housing and construction sector.
•Rate of growth in recent times.
•Multiplier effect of the construction sector and job creation.
•The value of land and properties in Argentina.
•Tourism in Argentina.
• Reasons to explain the growth in tourism and the hotel industry.
•The future of the sector.
•Financial and banking business sector in Argentina.
•Developments after the 2002 crisis.
•The different roles of foreign and domestic banks.
•The monetary and capital markets.

Mercosur trade balance.

•Reserve accumulation.
•Recent developments of exports, imports and capital flows,
•Perspectives for the Mercosur economy.
•Opportunities, threats and challenges.