Brazilian inflation and interest rate expectations for next year have fallen to new lows, according to a central bank survey of economists published on Monday, strengthening the view that monetary policy will be loosened further in the months ahead.
Brazil’s Real turned 25 years on Monday, July first. It’s already the longest circulating currency in the contemporary history of Brazil, having achieved this feat without fanfare in 2018 when it surpassed the cruzeiro.
Inflation in Brazil slowed for the first time in two months in July as the impact of a May nationwide truckers' strike dimmed, reinforcing the view that a recent price spike would not last long.
Brazil's monthly inflation eased more-than-expected in November after accelerating in the previous month, mainly due to the continued fall in food prices, preliminary data from IBGE showed on Friday. The consumer price index rose 0.28% month-on-month following 0.42% in October.
Brazilian prices rose in July at an annual rate of 2.71%, the lowest for 18 years, the government statistics office said Wednesday. This was good news for consumers in Latin America's biggest economy, which is inching out of its deepest recession in history, and was considered likely to lead to sharper interest rate cuts.
Brazil's Central Bank cut the key interest rate by a full one percentage point on Wednesday in an effort to inject life into the floundering economy. This was the fifth straight cut, taking the key Selic rate to 11.25%.
Brazil's annual inflation eased to the lowest rate since 2010 and came very close to the government's long-missed target, leaving the door open for the central bank to accelerate the pace of interest rate cuts next week.
Consumer prices rose less than expected in Brazil in January for the fifth straight month, increasing the chances of steeper interest rate cuts and a stronger economic recovery as the inflation rate falls toward the government's long-missed target.
Brazil's inflation finished 2016 within the official target range, government data showed on Wednesday. Consumer prices rose 6.29% last year slowing from an increase of 10.67% in 2015 and below the 6.5% ceiling of the official goal.
Brazil's annual inflation rate in October fell below 8% for the first time since February 2015, keeping the door open for small interest rate cuts as a deep recession lingers. Prices rose 7.87% in the 12 months through October, down from an annual increase of 8.48% in the previous month, statistics bureau IBGE said.