Brazil
Oil, minimum wage hike led to Brazilian rate hold
Despite a slowdown in inflation in recent months, concerns about the impact of a hike in the minimum salary and volatile oil prices led Brazil's central bank to keep its key interbank interest rate steady, according to minutes of last week's monetary…
Fraga welcomes BSCH bid for Banespa bank
Spain's Banco Santander Central Hispano was the surprise high bidder for Banespa yesterday, claiming Brazil's state bank for an unexpectedly high US$3.6bn. Arminio Fraga, Brazil's central bank president, welcomed the bid.
Brazil's cenbank intervenes in FX markets
Brazil's central bank intervened in the foreign exchange markets today, saying that it does not want the real to strengthen too much against the dollar as it could be detrimental to Brazil's trade balance.
Brazil's Fraga confident in Argentina's recovery
Brazil's central bank chief Arminio Fraga said Thursday he is confident that neighboring Argentina will leave its economic woes behind although there will be no "instant miracle."