Matthew Malinowski – Bloomberg, 3/10/2014
Brazil economists cut their 2014 key interest rate forecast for the second straight week, as 350 basis points in borrowing cost increases since last year threaten to undermine growth.
Brazil’s central bank will lift the benchmark Selic to 11 percent this year, compared with analysts’ estimates of 11.13 percent last week and 11.25 percent two weeks ago, according to the March 7 central bank survey of about 100 economists published today.
President Dilma Rousseff’s administration is combating prospects of faster inflation and slower growth. While the economy expanded more than analysts’ estimates in the fourth quarter, both consumer and industrial confidence remain low. The central bank on Feb. 26 halved the pace of key rate increases as factors including a weaker real pressure consumer prices even as demand remains uneven.
Brazil Portal 