Brazil & Southern Cone - October 2026

ARGENTINA | Carmaker Toyota boosts investment in Argentina. Economy Minister Luis Caputo announced on 30 September that Japanese car manufacturer Toyota will invest US$1.34bn under the Argentinian government’s large investment incentive scheme (Rigi). Writing on social media, Caputo hailed this as the “largest investment in the history of Argentina’s automotive sector”. He said it will fund a new electric vehicle (EV) production facility in Zárate, Buenos Aires province. National daily Clarín has described the inclusion of Toyota’s project in the Rigi scheme as surprising, given that the initiative has so far been mainly focused on incentivising investment in the energy and mining sectors rather than the automotive industry.

PARAGUAY | Gov’t highlights new deals following US trip. The minister for trade and industry, Marco Riquelme, announced a deal on 29 September between Paraguay’s state-run oil company Petropar and US-based energy firm, Scorpion Oil & Gas, to explore for oil and gas in Paraguay. He announced the deal amid other efforts to attract investment to Paraguay following his recent visit to the US as part of a delegation to attend the United Nations General Assembly. Riquelme said that he showcased over 30 projects that will open the door to investment. As regards infrastructure and urban revitalisation, he highlighted the announcement of an events arena worth over US$700m in Asunción, which he described as an “opportunity to revitalise the capital, boost entertainment tourism, and create direct and indirect jobs in construction and services”. Riquelme also announced the launch of a new large-scale sustainable forestry platform with a US$200m investment through JP Morgan Natural Capital in partnership with Grupo Robinson, a Paraguayan business group; the arrival of US venture capital fund Plug and Play to Paraguay; as well as an alliance with UK-headquartered global social learning network and platform Apolitical to train over 100,000 public servants in artificial intelligence, aiming to reduce state bureaucracy.

Brazil & Southern Cone: inflation rate
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Brazil & Southern Cone: GDP growth (%)
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