Ibovespa Achieves Historic Milestone Amid Global Market Influences

(MENAFN- The Rio Times) For the third session in a row, Brazil's Ibovespa index achieved a historic closing high, driven by a robust performance from Vale (VALE3) and supportive trends from New York's stock exchanges.

On Wednesday, the index briefly exceeded its recent target, reaching a new intraday peak of 137,039.54 points at the session's onset. This surpassed Tuesday's high of 136,329.79 points.

The trading day concluded with the Ibovespa at 136,493.65 points, up by 0.28%. This set a new record for the highest close, surpassing the previous record of 136,087.41 points.

Concurrently, the spot U.S. dollar ended slightly lower, settling at 5.4821 Brazilian reais, marking a decrease of 0.02%.

Although the index has reached its nominal peak, it remains below its real-term high when considering inflation and exchange rates.



To surpass the real-term high set on May 20, 2008, when the index stood at 73,517 points, the Ibovespa would need to climb above 180,000 points. Allan Antonio, an economics professor at Mackenzie Presbyterian University, explains this.

Domestically, attention focuses on the impending Central Bank appointments, pending President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's decision. This was revealed by Finance Minister Fernando Haddad.

This decision is pivotal, as it will significantly influence Brazil's economic trajectory. The Brazilian Senate recently passed legislation for the gradual reintroduction of payroll taxes starting in 2025, aiming to phase out tax breaks by 2027.

This plan also incorporates fiscal measures expected to generate approximately 26 billion reais in 2024. It showcases a careful balance between providing fiscal incentives and maintaining fiscal responsibility.
Mixed Market Performance
The stock market displayed mixed performances. CVC (CVCB3) saw its shares surge over 20% after disclosure that WNT-managed funds now possess 5.01% of its equity.

In contrast, cyclical sectors like Assaí (ASAI3), Carrefour (CRFB3), and Cogna (COGN3) declined due to anticipated rises in future interest rates.

Internationally, U.S. labor market figures for April 2023 to March 2024 were significantly adjusted downward by 818,000 jobs. This marks the largest adjustment since March 2009.

This revision precedes a critical Federal Reserve meeting where officials suggested potential monetary easing if upcoming data aligns with expectations.

Financial markets are now keenly awaiting further insights from the upcoming Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium.

They are particularly looking forward to a keynote by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. This event is highly anticipated as it could clarify the direction of U.S. interest rates moving forward.

The day ended positively in New York, with the S&P 500 rising by 0.42%, the Dow Jones increasing by 0.14%, and the Nasdaq climbing by 0.57%.

These gains highlight the deep interconnectivity of global markets. They also emphasize the significant impact of U.S. monetary policies on worldwide economic dynamics.

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