Lender Inter expects Brazil's central bank to leave interest rate unchanged
By Gabriel Araujo
SAO PAULO, Aug 21 (Reuters) -Brazil's central bank is expected to maintain its interest rate unchanged at 10.50% until the end of this year as it is already restrictive enough to combat inflation, lender Inter INTR.O forecast on Wednesday, going against market bets.
Interest rate futures in Latin America's largest economy price in an 80% chance of the central bank hiking rates by 25 basis points at its next meeting on Sept. 17-18, as policymakers vow to bring inflation to their 3% target.
The remaining 20% indicate rates would be held steady.
The growing chances of a hike follow remarks by central bank board members indicating that the monetary authority would "raise rates if needed" to fight inflation, although no forward guidance has been provided.
Annual inflation in Brazil currently sits at 4.5%.
"We don't see fundamentals for a hike at the moment," Inter's chief economist Rafaela Vitoria told Reuters. "We consider the current interest rate level to be quite restrictive when we look at the relevant horizon for monetary policy."
Private economists surveyed on a weekly basis by the central bank still forecast the key Selic rate to be kept at 10.50% until the end of 2024, but major financial institutions have revised their projections this week to indicate a rate hike.
XP, BTG Pactual and ASA are among those who predict a tightening cycle beginning in September, with a 25-basis-point increase, and further hikes that would take interest rates to 12% by January 2025.
But Inter's Vitoria, who believes the Selic rate will end next year at 9.5%, disagrees with how markets have interpreted the policymakers' comments.
"Our understanding is that the fact that there is an option to raise rates does not mean that interest rates will be hiked," she said.
She acknowledged, however, that chances of a rate hike have increased, as the central bank could end up following market indications if current bets consolidate.
"We don't agree with, don't think is necessary, but we understand it is a risk."
Reporting by Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Angus MacSwan
免責聲明: XM Group提供線上交易平台的登入和執行服務，允許個人查看和/或使用網站所提供的內容，但不進行任何更改或擴展其服務和訪問權限，並受以下條款與條例約束：（i）條款與條例；（ii）風險提示；（iii）完全免責聲明。網站內部所提供的所有資訊，僅限於一般資訊用途。請注意，我們所有的線上交易平台內容並不構成，也不被視為進入金融市場交易的邀約或邀請 。金融市場交易會對您的投資帶來重大風險。
所有缐上交易平台所發佈的資料，僅適用於教育/資訊類用途，不包含也不應被視爲適用於金融、投資稅或交易相關諮詢和建議，或是交易價格紀錄，或是任何金融商品或非應邀途徑的金融相關優惠的交易邀約或邀請。
本網站的所有XM和第三方所提供的内容，包括意見、新聞、研究、分析、價格其他資訊和第三方網站鏈接，皆爲‘按原狀’，並作爲一般市場評論所提供，而非投資建議。請理解和接受，所有被歸類為投資研究範圍的相關内容，並非爲了促進投資研究獨立性，而根據法律要求所編寫，而是被視爲符合營銷傳播相關法律與法規所編寫的内容。請確保您已詳讀並完全理解我們的非獨立投資研究提示和風險提示資訊，相關詳情請點擊 這裡查看。
