The worsening of tensions between Russia and Ukraine did not prevent the dollar from falling again and reaching the lowest value since the end of July last year. The stock exchange did not have the same optimism and retreated for the third time in a row, pressured by the foreign market.
The commercial dollar closed this Monday (21) sold at R$ 5.107, with a fall of R$ 0.027 (-0.64%). The quotation operated on the rise in the first hour of trading, but reversed the movement and even dropped to R$ 5.07 at the lowest of the day, around 1 pm.
After the decision of Russia after recognizing the independence of the Ukrainian breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, the currency was once again sold above R$5.10. However, the inflow of external flows prevented the price from rising.
The currency closed at the lowest level since July 29 last year, when it was sold at R$5.07. The commercial dollar has accumulated a decline of 3.75% in February and 8.41% in 2022. Even with international tensions, high interest rates in Brazil continue to attract foreign capital. At the beginning of the month, the Brazilian Central Bank raised the Selic rate (basic interest rates in the economy) to 10.75% per year, the highest level since July 2017.
The intensification of the conflict in Eastern Europe weighed more on the stock market. The B3 Ibovespa index closed at 111,725 points, down 1.02%. Last week, the indicator reached 115 thousand points, but fell for the third consecutive session.
What limited the stock market’s loss were Petrobras shares, which rose because of the rise in oil on the foreign market. Ordinary papers (voted at the shareholders’ meeting) rose by 2.7%. Preferred shares (with preference in the distribution of dividends) appreciated by 2.58%.
* With information from Reuters.
