
Brazil's Ibovespa rose on Monday to the highest level in almost two years as an advance in crude oil lifted the shares of Petrobras while estimates for a faster economic recovery fueled bets on companies that rely on domestic demand.

Brazil's interim President Michel Temer's press office informed on late Monday that he will not attend the closing ceremony of the Rio Olympic Games, which will be held on the evening of August 21 at the world-renowned Maracana stadium.

Inflation in Brazil rose more sharply in July than economists expected, official data showed, raising pressure on the central bank to keep interest rates on hold for some time.

The Brazilian Real weakened further on Friday after interim President Michel Temer showed concern over currency strength, while stocks edged lower following a heavy batch of quarterly results including state controlled oil company Petrobras.

Brazilian financial newspaper Valor Econômico revealed details of an alleged corruption amnesty currently being discussed by lawmakers who have been accused of alleged involvement in the graft scandal at state oil firm Petrobras.

Brazil's Petrobras reported second-quarter profit that fell by nearly a third from a year earlier, missing expectations as oil prices fell and it took charges for layoffs and the impairment of a refinery. Petrobras said net income fell 30% to 370 million Reais (US$118 million) in the three months ended June 30 compared with a profit of 531 million Reais a year earlier.

Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay are waiting to see what happens on Friday, 12 August, when Venezuela has to prove that it has complied with all the pending requirements to confirm its Mercosur full membership condition dating back to 2012.

Venezuela is not helping much to resolve the unprecedented situation of Mercosur, said Uruguay's foreign minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa in reference to Venezuela's self proclaimed presidency of the group and which is rejected point blank by Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay who consider the post vacant.

A lower-than-anticipated domestic corn supply is pushing prices up, putting pressure on Brazil’s pork and poultry sectors, and forcing the government to intervene, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) said in its latest report.

Brazilian Senate has voted to begin the impeachment trial of embattled President Dilma Rousseff, a move that could officially hand over power to her former vice president – current interim president – Michel Temer. The impeachment trial is expected to open around August 25 - four days after the Olympics finish - and go on for five days, ending with a vote in judgment.