MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazilian stocks record; Bovespa index above 50.000 points

Brazilian stocks climbed Thursday to a new record pushing the benchmark Bovespa index above 50,000 for the first time. The index of most-traded shares on the Sao Paulo exchange rose 746.68 or 1.5% to 50,218.22.

This is the fifteenth record this year and Bovespa has gained 13% and is trading at 13.34 times earnings per share. The first week of the year the gauge traded at an average 12.16 times earnings, up from 11.11 in the week ending October 6. Vale, the world's second-largest miner rose 2.12 reais or 3%, to 73.01 reais. PT International Nickel Indonesia, 60% owned by Vale, said first-quarter profit surged fivefold as higher nickel prices helped boost sales. Vale said in a statement that it got 650 million US dollars in credit lines from a group of 19 banks led by France's BNP Paribas. On Wednesday the Trade Ministry said Brazil's trade surplus widened more than forecast to 4.2 billion in April, from a revised 3.36 billion during March, as the price of commodities such as steel rallied. Brazil's policy makers will probably cut the overnight rate to 10% by the end of 2008, according to the median estimate of about 100 economists in an April 27 central bank survey. They lowered the estimated from 10.5% in the previous survey. The economists cut their 2007 inflation forecast to 3.69% from 3.78%. The central bank targets inflation of 4% for 2007 and 2008. Interviewed by "Folha de Sao Paulo", market analyst André Borghesan forecasted the Bovespa index would reach 52.000 points by the end of June. "For the moment there are no identifiable motives for a suden drop in stock prices unless there's a surprise from China or some very disappointing index in The US".