The seizure of YPF may not be the end of it. Argentine President Cristina Fernandez could easily embark on an overhaul of the entire energy sector. Even so, the country&rsquo;s vast shale reserves are too important in the global scheme of things. The nationalisation is bad, but Big Oil can&rsquo;t afford to shun Argentina.

Oil majors can't afford to shun Argentina

Business Standard

Venezuela&rsquo;s more optimistic creditors got it wrong. Before Sunday&rsquo;s election, they seemed to think Hugo Chavez would lose. Instead, the president&rsquo;s easy re-election win gives him six more years to take over industries like mining and food and squeeze the oil sector further. Bondholders can expect the Chavez discount to return.

Chavezuela

Get ready for the world&rsquo;s largest airline to take off this week. But don&rsquo;t look north or east &mdash; the globe&rsquo;s most valuable carrier is set to be South American. Chile&rsquo;s LAN Airlines is on track to finally consummate its marriage to Brazilian rival TAM this Friday, almost two years after announcing the tie-up. But the promise of greater regional integration has fuelled big expectations that economic headwinds will make difficult to meet.

Fasten your seatbelts

Uruguay&rsquo;s bid to legalise marijuana sales would make the small South American country the first state directly involved in the weed business. The United States won&rsquo;t like the idea. But the plan offers glimmers of a market-based solution to the drug violence ravaging Latin America.

Plan to inhale

Latin America can count on the masses for the next phase of growth. Though epitomized by a handful of people like the world&rsquo;s richest man, Carlos Slim, and showy political leaders spearheading the region&rsquo;s commodity-led export economies, a burgeoning middle class will make its mark in 2013 powering Latin America&rsquo;s future.

Atencion shoppers

Brazil&rsquo;s stock exchange has more staying power than the country&rsquo;s flagging economy. BM&amp;FBovespa has been hit by delistings and a dearth of IPOs this year. Rival exchanges may soon arrive, too. But Bovespa has a lock on other business while expanding elsewhere.

Raul Gallegos

Raul Gallegos

Raul Gallegos

Oil majors can't afford to shun Argentina

Chavezuela

Fasten your seatbelts

Plan to inhale

Atencion shoppers

Buck up