Central Bank of Brazil increased on Wednesday the benchmark interest rate for the first time in 19 months in an effort to cool an economy forecast to expand 6% this year, one of the highest rates in two decades.
Brazil’s next government will need to be “very serious” about keeping inflation within its target range so real interest rates can continue to fall, Central Bank President Henrique Meirelles said.
Argentina’s Deputy Economy Minister Roberto Feletti said the Government “will not accept economic policies to be dictated” by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and added that country's statistical information is “trustworthy and solid.”