Brazil

• Tuesday, December 4th 2018 - 09:04 UTC

  Brazil increasing ethanol capacity because of depressed global sugar prices

  

  Brazilian sugar companies are increasing their capacity to produce ethanol in the face of depressed global sugar prices and government policies expected to boost demand for the biofuel. A shift to ethanol in the 2018-19 season slashed Brazil’s sugar output by 9 million tons to a 12-year low and more switching to the biofuel next season could help to wipe out a global surplus weighing on sugar prices.

• Tuesday, December 4th 2018 - 08:58 UTC

  Benchmark emerging-market stocks index waiting for Brazil's Bolsonaro

  

  Brazil’s presence in the benchmark emerging-market stock index could rise again should incoming President Jair Bolsonaro deliver on his promises to shore up the finances of Latin America’s largest economy, according to MSCI Inc chief executive Henry Fernandez.

• Tuesday, December 4th 2018 - 06:03 UTC

  Transition official confirms Brazil will split Labour Ministry in three

  

  The current competences of Brazil's Labour Ministry will be spread into three other ministries when President-elect Jair Bolsonaro takes office next year, Onyx Lorenzoni announced Monday in a radio interview. Lorenzoni is the current minister of transition and will head the Civil House under Bolsonaro.

• Monday, December 3rd 2018 - 08:10 UTC

  Bolsonaro warns environmental monitoring agencies: “the party is over”

  

  Brazil's incoming far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, took a swipe at the government's environmental monitoring agencies, warning he would not allow them to impose “fines all over the place.”

• Saturday, December 1st 2018 - 10:29 UTC

  Bolsonaro names an Admiral as Mining and Energy minister

  

  President-elect and former army captain, Jair Bolsonaro, has named a Navy admiral as his Mining and Energy minister. The appointment marks the eighth member of the armed forces to Bolsonaro's government and the 20th Minister appointed so far.

• Saturday, December 1st 2018 - 10:24 UTC

  Brazilian economy accelerates in the third quarter

  

  The Brazilian economy accelerated sharply in the third quarter as record-low interest rates and a one-off government-led boost helped it bounce back from the impact of a nationwide truckers’ strike. Gross domestic product rose 0.8% from the second quarter and 1.4% from the third quarter of 2017, government statistics agency IBGE said on Friday.

• Saturday, December 1st 2018 - 08:47 UTC

  Bolsonaro recommends “prudence” before signing any Mercosur/EU agreement

  

  Brazil's president-elect Jair Bolsonaro said “prudence” was necessary before signing any trade agreement with other nations, in reference to the ongoing negotiations between Mercosur and the European Union.

• Thursday, November 29th 2018 - 08:31 UTC

  Brazil withdraws its offer to host UN conference on climate change next year

  

  Brazil has withdrawn its offer to host a large U.N. conference on climate change next year, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday, leading environmental groups to question the government's commitment to reducing carbon emissions.

• Thursday, November 29th 2018 - 07:08 UTC

  Norwegian Air plans to break British Airways London/Rio do Janeiro “monopoly”

  

  Budget carrier Norwegian Air plans to start flights between London and Rio de Janeiro in March to break what it said was a “monopoly” enjoyed by British Airways between the two cities.

• Wednesday, November 28th 2018 - 18:50 UTC

  Brazilian credit card users offered predictable exchange rate for deals in foreign currency

  

  Brazil's Central Bank (BCB) President Ilan Goldfajn Wednesday announced a new rule for credit card charges in foreign currency: the sum consumers will have to pay in reais will be calculated on the basis of the exchange rate at the day of the transaction. The measure, however, will become effective as March 1, 2020.