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Updated · The Wall Street Journal · Apr 29Brazil's central bank cuts Selic rate to 14.5% amid Middle East conflict
7 articles · Updated · The Wall Street Journal · Apr 29
- The Copom committee reduced the benchmark rate from 14.75%, citing economic slowdown and inflation risks linked to the Iran war.
- Consumer prices rose 4.4% year-on-year through mid-April, while defaults reached 4.3% of total credit, and 82 million Brazilians missed payments.
- Further rate cuts remain uncertain, with inflation forecast at 4.9% for 2026 and government spending expected to rise ahead of October elections.
Why is Brazil cutting interest rates while a global oil shock looms? As consumer defaults hit record highs, are Brazil's banks on the brink of a crisis? Will Brazil's oil boom profits outweigh the pain of war-fueled inflation? Can President Lula's debt relief plan save consumers without triggering an inflation crisis? With global turmoil rising, is Brazil a safe investment haven or a high-risk trap? Is Brazil's sugarcane fuel the secret weapon against soaring global oil prices?