Brazil's Central Bank (BC) President Ilan Goldfajn said on Monday that the outcome of the US presidential election, won by magnate Donald Trump, brought an element of uncertainty to markets, but reiterated that the institution has kept a close watch on the development of international markets and worked to prevent the effects of external shocks from threatening macroeconomic stability.
Brazil's central bank kept interest rates at a decade high for the ninth straight time on Wednesday, but did not discard a cut rate later this year if stubbornly high inflation subsides. In a unanimous vote, the bank's monetary policy committee, Copom, kept its benchmark Selic rate at 14.25%, its highest since July 2006.
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.
Brazil held interest rates steady for the seventh straight time on Wednesday, resisting pressure to slash borrowing costs amid a recession as inflation remains near double digits. In a unanimous vote, the central bank's monetary policy committee, Copom, decided at its last meeting led by governor Alexandre Tombini to keep its benchmark Selic rate at 14.25%, the highest in nearly a decade.
Brazil's interim government on Tuesday confirmed the lead economist of the country's largest private bank to head the central bank, in a further shift away from the interventionist policies that many blame for deep recession and near double-digit inflation.
The elevation of a centrist vice president, Michel Temer, as Brazil’s president amid the impeachment process of Dilma Rousseff is expected to result in a less strained relationship between Brazil and Israel, as well as its Jewish community, Jewish leaders in Sao Paulo said.
Brazil's Vice President Michel Temer could wait until June to appoint a new central bank chief if he takes over the reins of power this week, as part of a gradual transition to replace the bank's eight-member board, his spokesman said on Wednesday.
Brazil's recession will extend into next year, hurting President Dilma Rousseff's efforts to shore up public finances and arrest a sharp increase in unemployment, Itau Unibanco's chief economist said in a report on Wednesday. Ilan Goldfajn forecasts a drop of 2.2% in 2015 and 0.2% in 2016, down from previous estimates for a decline of 1.7% in 2015 and an increase of 0.3% in 2016.
The three-year build-up to the 2014 soccer World Cup is set to boost Brazil’s economy by 1.5% of GDP, according to Ilan Goldfajn, chief economist of the Itau Unibanco Holding, Latin America’s largest bank by market value.