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Bad NEWS Continues For BRAZIL

BRAZIL2Brazil’s economic growth continues to disappoint.

After data in December showed Brazil’s economy shrank in the third quarter of last year for the first time since 2009, the central bank’s IBC-Br index, a monthly proxy for gross domestic product, showed economic activity fell 0.3 per cent in November from a month earlier.

The market had been expecting an increase of 0.1 per cent for November.

The surprise contraction comes just two days after the central bank voted unanimously to raise its benchmark Selic rates by a larger-than-expected 50 basis points to 10.5 per cent.

The aggressive move is aimed at tackling the country’s high inflation, which hit 5.91 per cent last year. (more…)