In a day marked by international tensions, the dollar interrupted the sequence of falls and returned to rise. The stock market fell, following the international market.
The commercial dollar closed this Wednesday (21) sold at R$ 5.173, up by R$ 0.021 (+0.4%). The price had a volatile day, alternating ups and downs. At around 3 pm, shortly after the Federal Reserve (Fed, US Central Bank) announced a 0.75 percentage point hike in interest rates, the currency reached R$5.19, but decelerated towards the end of negotiations.
This was the dollar’s first rally after two consecutive declines. The currency accumulates a fall of 0.56% in September and 7.23% in 2022. Despite the rise in the US currency today, the real performed better than other currencies. The commercial euro fell 0.91% and closed at R$5.09, losing value against the US currency.
In the stock market, the day was also marked by volatility. The B3 Ibovespa index closed at 111,936 points, down 0.52%. The indicator alternated highs and lows throughout the session, but began to fall in the mid-afternoon influenced by US stocks, which ended sharply lower after the Fed’s decision.
Despite the drop, the Ibovespa performed better than the US stock exchanges. The Dow Jones Industrial Companies Index lost 1.7%. The Nasdaq of technology companies fell 1.79%. The S&P 500 of the top 500 companies is down 1.71%.
The 0.75 percentage point increase in US basic interest rates was expected by the market, although some investors were betting on a rise of up to 1 point. However, the harsh tone of the Fed’s statement pointed out that interest rates in the United States could rise for longer than expected, which raised the dollar rate and caused stocks to fall across the planet.
In the Brazilian market, the pressure was relieved because, also today, the Monetary Policy Committee (Copom) decides on the new Selic rate (basic interest rates for the economy). As interest rates are high, at 13.75% per year, this holds back the pressure for the flight of resources towards US Treasury bonds, considered the safest investments in the world and which become attractive with the increase in interest rates in the United States. United.
* With information from Reuters
