The Brazilian central bank on Wednesday held interest rates at an all-time low, as widely expected, and hinted that it will hold off from raising them for longer than expected. The bank’s nine-member monetary policy committee, Copom, kept the benchmark Selic rate at 6.50 percent for a sixth straight meeting.
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.
Economist Roberto Campos Neto has accepted an invite to become the head of Brazil's central bank under the government of the incoming president, Jair Bolsonaro, the nation's future economy minister said in a statement on Thursday.
The Brazilian central bank on Tuesday forecast that inflation is likely to peak in the second quarter of 2019 before easing towards its target, adding that underlying inflation was at “appropriate” levels.
The Brazilian central bank on Wednesday held interest rates at an all-time low despite a currency selloff, as widely anticipated, but said it could “gradually” raise them in the future if inflation expectations spike.
Brazil's benchmark Bovespa index rose 1.75% on Tuesday, rallying for a second straight day largely on a spike in commodities prices. Two of the Bovespa's most heavily weighted equities, miner Vale and oil giant Petrobras benefited from rising commodity prices worldwide amid escalating China-U.S. trade tensions and signals OPEC is not prepared to raise output to address shrinking supplies from Iran.
Brazil's financial institutions on Monday reduced the 2018 economic growth forecast to 1.5%, half the initial estimate issued at the beginning of the year, according to the Central Bank weekly survey. The Focus Bulletin, which interviews analysts and economists from Brazil's financial market every Monday, the country's growth estimate was actually reduced from the previous week's 1.53%.
Brazil’s central bank kept interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, as expected, refraining from hiking even after a sharp currency slide as policymakers highlighted the unclear impact of a nationwide protest by truckers in late May.
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.
Brazil's inflation rate unexpectedly slowed in April and kept far below the official target, suggesting a recent period of currency weakness is unlikely to keep the central bank from cutting interest rates next week.