Colombia's Argos wants fair price for Andino unit

(Reuters) - It is the first time that the Chavez government has
nationalized a Colombian company as part of the president's
self-styled socialist revolution.




"We hope to to get a fair price from the Venezuelan
government," a statement from Argos said.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Colombia's Peso Strengthens as Central Bank Expected to Boost Lending Rate

(Bloomberg) -- Colombia's peso strengthened before
announcement of a central bank lending rate decision, expected
to push the benchmark borrowing cost to an almost six-year high.

Policy makers in Bogota may boost the overnight interbank
rate a quarter-percentage point to 9.25 percent today, according
to 17 of 31 economists in a Bloomberg survey. The other 14
economists expect the rate to remain unchanged.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Colombia Peso Reaches One-Month High on Speculation Inflation Will Slow

(Bloomberg) -- Colombia's peso strengthened to a
one-month high on investor expectations that inflation will
slow, attracting buyers to the nation's assets.

The peso gained 0.4 percent to 1,910.65 per dollar,
reaching the strongest since June 20, according to the Colombian
foreign-exchange electronic transactions system, known as SET-
FX.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Bogota to Sell $300 Million of Bonds in First Foreign Offering Since 2001

(Bloomberg) -- Bogota, Colombia's capital city,
plans to sell $300 million of 21-year, peso-denominated bonds in
its first offering in international markets in six years.

The city will finish the sale next week, said Gustavo
Marulanda, Bogota's acting credit public director. The bonds
will pay back principal over 2026, 2027 and 2028 and will be
payable in U.S. dollars.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

Colombia Inflation-Linked Bonds Fall on Outlook for Slower Consumer Prices

(Bloomberg) -- Colombia's inflation-linked peso
bonds fell to their lowest in almost a year on expectations
cooling inflation will hurt returns on the securities.

Colombia's annual inflation rate slowed to 6.03 percent
last month, compared with 6.23 percent in May, a government
report showed on July 1. The central bank targets inflation
between 3.5 percent and 4.5 percent this year.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Colombia's Central Bank to Lift Rates to Fight Inflation, Echavarria Says

(Bloomberg) -- Colombia's central bank is ready to
raise interest rates as the fastest growth in three decades
threatens to put their 2007 inflation target out of reach,
central bank Director Juan Jose Echavarria said.

Consumer prices in May and April rose more than 6 percent
annually, the fastest pace since 2004 and well above the bank's
target of 3.5-to-4.5 percent for 2007. The bank on June 15
raised its benchmark lending rate to 9 percent, the highest
since October 2001.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

Colombia's Peso Breaks 1,900-Per-Dollar-Barrier for First Time Since 2000

(Bloomberg) -- Colombia's peso broke the 1,900-per-
dollar barrier for the first time in more than seven years on
speculation the central bank will scale back its dollar
purchases aimed at curbing the currency's rally.

The peso jumped 1.5 percent to 1,896.97 per dollar. It
earlier touched 1,894.1, the strongest since January 2000. The
currency has gained 18 percent this year, the most among 70
currencies tracked by Bloomberg.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

Colombia Peso Snaps 11-Day Rally on Speculation Government to Stem Gains

(Bloomberg) -- Colombia's peso weakened for the
first day in 12 on speculation the government will restrict
dollar inflows to stem a rally in the currency that is cutting
into exporters' profitability.

Colombian President Alvaro Uribe yesterday called for
measures to ``control capital that comes into the country to
make a short-term profit.'' The currency has appreciated 27
percent against the dollar in the past 12 months, the most among
70 currencies that Bloomberg tracks against the dollar.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News