The Brazilian Central kept interest rates unchanged for the fifth consecutive policy meeting on Wednesday, increasing concern and criticism from the government of president Lula da Silva. The bank's rate-setting committee, Copom, maintained its Selic benchmark interest rate at 13.75%. The decision, which defied intense pressure from the government of Lula da Silva, matched the expectations of analysts.
Uruguay's Central Bank of Uruguay this week ordered a 50 basis point increase in the interest rate policy, the eighth straight increase since last August. The move, which brings the monetary policy rate to 9.75%, means the central bank has ordered 525bp of increases in total over the past 11 months. The 50bp hike was somewhat smaller than the four previous hikes, which included April’s 125bp increase and three 75bp hikes.
Brazil's Central Bank raised its benchmark interest rate 150 basis points for the second time running to 9,25%, the highest since 2017, in an effort to contain growing inflation.
Brazilian orthodox Economy minister Paulo Guedes has not resigned and has no intention of resigning despite the fact he will have to live with the exceptional expenditure of some 45bn Reais, as part of the Auxilio Brazil support program for vulnerable families and president Jair Bolsonaro's 2022 reelection plan.
The Uruguayan central bank following the meeting of its Copom, Monetary Policy Committee, decided last week to raise the basic monetary policy rate from 4,5% to 5%, in line with what has been happening in other central banks in the region.
The Uruguayan central bank is waiting for stronger signals of economic recovery before altering the current monetary policy, according to a release from the Monetary Policy Committee, Copom. In its third 2021 meeting, at the end of June, it ratified the current reference interest rate of 4,5% and anticipated it will wait for improved indicators from the pandemic battered economy.
Former Brazilian Finance Minister Maílson da Nóbrega (Jan. 6 1988 - March 18, 1990) under President José Sarney has pointed out that the country needs to keep interest rates at a high level at least until the Selic rate reaches 6.5% per year.
Brazil's central bank on Wednesday announced a first interest rate hike since 2015, a surprising 75 basis point increase to 2.75% and anticipated a similar increase in May to fight inflation even as the economy struggles during the pandemic.
Brazil’s central bank kept its key interest rate at a record low 2.00% on Wednesday, as expected, but gave the first sign it could soon drop its pledge to keep rates lower for longer as inflation expectations converge toward target.
Brazil’s central bank kept its key interest rate at a record-low 2.00% on Wednesday, pledging to stimulate the coronavirus-hit economy with “forward guidance” rather than more rate cuts because of the risk to financial market stability that they could pose.