Brazil's 12-month inflation accelerated in May from April amid strong fuel prices. Consumer prices rose 0.40% in the month, compared with an increase of 0.22% in April, statistics agency IBGE said on Friday. The consumer price index advanced 2.86% in May from a year earlier, up from April's 2.76% pace.
Brazilian President Michel Temer said on Thursday there was no risk of a currency crisis in Latin America's largest economy despite sharp falls in the exchange rate, while the central bank chief pledged to maintain the bank's intervention in the market.
China will impose temporary anti-dumping measures on Brazilian broiler chickens from June 9, the commerce ministry said on Friday, after finding in a preliminary ruling that its domestic industry has been substantially damaged by the imports. Local firms buying Brazilian chicken will be required to pay deposits ranging from 18.8% to 38.4% of the value of their shipments, the ministry said in a statement. The measures cover products supplied by top Brazilian exporters JBS and BRF.
Brazil announced on Wednesday evening that it has earmarked up to 194.3 billion Reais or US$ 51.13bn in loans to promote large and medium-sized agricultural producers. At a ceremony in the capital Brasilia, President Michel Temer and his Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi unveiled the government's “2018-19 Agriculture and Cattle Ranching Program”, which devotes slightly more resources to the sector than last year's 190.25 billion Reais (US$ 50.06 billion).
The Brazilian currency has fallen to its lowest level against the dollar in more than two years, amid rising investor worries over recent economic and political turmoil. The Real is down 14% this year, near its lowest levels since March 2016. On Wednesday in New York, the dollar bought 3.8534 Reais, versus 3.8087 Reais late Tuesday.
Far-right presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro is the clear frontrunner in Brazil’s election in October with up to 25% of voter support, followed by center-left populist Ciro Gomes with 12%, a new poll revealed on Tuesday.
Brazilian industrial production increased 0.8% in April, marking a return to positive growth after dropping by 0.1% in March, the government announced on Tuesday. According to the report by Brazil's statistics bureau, IBGE, the industrial sector has grown 4.5% so far in 2018.
The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) has officially declared Brazil as a country free from Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) with vaccination. The decision for this occurred late May, in Paris. The decision took place after approval last year from the OIE’s scientific committee, which is constituted by 181 member states.
Brazil's financial market has downgraded its 2018 economic growth forecast from 2.37% to 2.18%, according to a Focus poll released on Monday by the Central Bank. Four weeks ago, a similar survey of the country's leading financial institutions showed GDP was expected to expand 2.7%.
Brazil's trade balance recorded a US$ 5.981 billion surplus in May, resulting from US$ 19.224 billion in exports and US$ 13.260 billion in imports, said the Ministry of Industry, Foreign Trade and Services (MDIC).