IBOV 187,366.84 ▲ 1.20% IPSA 11,315.26 ▼ 1.14% IPC MEX 65,010.39 ▲ 0.44% MERVAL 3,075,982 ▲ 1.36% COLCAP 2,569.47 ▲ 0.15% BVL PERÚ 59,620.96 ▲ 1.05% USD/BRL5.09▼ 0.72% USD/MXN16.91▼ 0.07% USD/CLP924.74▼ 1.05% USD/COP3,113▼ 0.49% USD/PEN3.35▼ 0.12% USD/ARS1,512▼ 0.02% USD/UYU40.22▲ 3.05% USD/PYG5,892▲ 2.04% USD/BOB12.45▲ 2.69% USD/DOP58.58▲ 2.05% USD/CRC446.50▲ 1.47% USD/GTQ7.64▲ 3.15% USD/HNL26.84▲ 3.19% USD/NIO36.62▲ 2.65% USD/VES818.05▲ 0.54% USD/PAB1.00— 0.00% USD/BZD2.00— 0.00% USD/JMD 157.28 — 0.00% USD/TTD6.71▲ 1.95% EUR/BRL5.92▼ 0.63% BRENT 88.88 ▼ 0.03% WTI 83.11 ▼ 0.11% IRON ORE 161.91 — — COPPER 6.61 ▲ 0.03% GOLD 4,461 ▲ 1.78% SILVER 65.59 ▲ 1.26% SOY 1,184 ▲ 3.20% CORN 480.50 ▲ 10.02% WHEAT 655.00 ▲ 3.93% COFFEE 317.25 ▼ 5.51% SUGAR 16.43 ▼ 1.79% ORANGE JUICE 138.55 ▼ 0.47% COTTON 85.03 ▲ 2.33% COCOA 5,719 ▲ 3.18% BEEF 223.60 ▼ 3.93% CATTLE 339.10 ▼ 3.16% LITHIUM 75.20 ▲ 1.47% PETR4 41.64 ▼ 0.05% VALE3 72.97 ▲ 0.83% ITUB4 38.60 ▼ 1.03% BBDC4 16.85 ▲ 0.36% ABEV3 14.89 ▼ 0.80% BBAS3 19.37 ▲ 0.47% B3SA3 14.26 ▼ 0.21% WEGE3 47.59 ▲ 0.49% PRIO3 59.14 ▼ 0.19% SUZB3 41.33 ▲ 2.35% RENT3 34.68 ▼ 0.09% AZZA3 15.89 ▼ 2.63% CSAN3 3.22 ▼ 1.83% RAIZ4 0.25 — 0.00% PCAR3 2.75 ▼ 0.36% GMAT3 3.65 ▼ 1.08% PSSA3 48.13 ▼ 0.54% CVCB3 1.33 ▼ 2.92% POSI3 3.36 ▲ 2.44% SLCE3 13.34 ▲ 0.30% NATU3 8.14 ▼ 0.73% IBOV 187,366.84 ▲ 1.20% IPSA 11,315.26 ▼ 1.14% IPC MEX 65,010.39 ▲ 0.44% MERVAL 3,075,982 ▲ 1.36% COLCAP 2,569.47 ▲ 0.15% BVL PERÚ 59,620.96 ▲ 1.05% USD/BRL 5.16 ▲ 0.01% USD/MXN 17.06 ▼ 0.24% USD/CLP 913.98 ▲ 0.04% USD/COP 3,140 ▲ 0.03% USD/PEN 3.36 ▼ 0.66% USD/ARS 1,493 ▲ 0.10% USD/UYU 40.27 ▲ 1.24% USD/PYG 5,939 ▲ 1.68% USD/BOB 11.64 ▼ 0.76% USD/DOP 58.34 ▲ 1.25% USD/CRC 445.92 ▲ 0.89% USD/GTQ 7.62 ▲ 2.21% USD/HNL 26.79 ▲ 1.57% USD/NIO 36.62 ▲ 0.69% USD/VES 762.44 ▼ 0.13% USD/PAB 1.00 — 0.00% USD/BZD 2.00 — 0.00% USD/JMD 157.28 — 0.00% USD/TTD 6.70 ▲ 0.61% EUR/BRL 5.95 ▲ 1.01% BRENT 88.88 ▼ 0.03% WTI 83.11 ▼ 0.11% IRON ORE 161.91 — — COPPER 6.61 ▲ 0.03% GOLD 4,461 ▲ 1.78% SILVER 65.59 ▲ 1.26% SOY 1,184 ▲ 3.20% CORN 480.50 ▲ 10.02% WHEAT 655.00 ▲ 3.93% COFFEE 317.25 ▼ 5.51% SUGAR 16.43 ▼ 1.79% ORANGE JUICE 138.55 ▼ 0.47% COTTON 85.03 ▲ 2.33% COCOA 5,719 ▲ 3.18% BEEF 223.60 ▼ 3.93% CATTLE 339.10 ▼ 3.16% LITHIUM 75.20 ▲ 1.47% PETR4 41.64 ▼ 0.05% VALE3 72.97 ▲ 0.83% ITUB4 38.60 ▼ 1.03% BBDC4 16.85 ▲ 0.36% ABEV3 14.89 ▼ 0.80% BBAS3 19.37 ▲ 0.47% B3SA3 14.26 ▼ 0.21% WEGE3 47.59 ▲ 0.49% PRIO3 59.14 ▼ 0.19% SUZB3 41.33 ▲ 2.35% RENT3 34.68 ▼ 0.09% AZZA3 15.89 ▼ 2.63% CSAN3 3.22 ▼ 1.83% RAIZ4 0.25 — 0.00% PCAR3 2.75 ▼ 0.36% GMAT3 3.65 ▼ 1.08% PSSA3 48.13 ▼ 0.54% CVCB3 1.33 ▼ 2.92% POSI3 3.36 ▲ 2.44% SLCE3 13.34 ▲ 0.30% NATU3 8.14 ▼ 0.73%
since 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Brazil Business - Brazil

These 13 Brazilian states rely more on government handouts than job creation

By · April 12, 2023 · 2 min read

The LatAm Brief

One email, every weekday morning. What moved in Latin American markets, politics and expat life.

Yesterday’s subject line: “227 dead in Latin American waters. Yesterday, none.”

Free. We send a confirmation link first — nothing arrives until you click it. Unsubscribe with one click in any edition. If you stop opening us for 30 days we stop sending by ourselves, as we assume the interest is no longer there. See our privacy policy. We never share your email.

The number of beneficiaries of the Bolsa Família Program (government handouts) is now higher than the number of jobs with a signed contract (which excludes the public sector) in 13 of the 27 states of the Brazilian federation.

Last year, it was higher at 12.

Rio Grande do Norte was the only exception in the Northeast region until 2022. It is not anymore.

Like all the other Northeastern states, it now has more Bolsa Família beneficiaries than formal jobs. There are also 4 Northern States in this situation.

These 13 Brazilian states rely more on government handouts than job creation.
These 13 Brazilian states rely more on government handouts than job creation.
One-stop reference
Company Intelligence
Every listed company in Latin America — financials, ownership and structure for 1,450+ companies across 26 exchanges, in one place.
Browse the directory →

Remember that Lula became president thanks to votes from the Northeast, while the Brazilian power houses all wanted Bolsonaro.

Maranhão is the State where this relationship of dependence on the benefit is the strongest.

2 Maranhão families receive Bolsa Família for each worker with a formal job contract in the State.

Remember that Lula’s Justice Minister, Flávio Dino was instrumental in determining the deplorable fate of the Maranhão State.

Before the pandemic, there were 8 states with more benefits than formal jobs. The number rose to 10 in 2020, 12 in 2022 with Brazil Aid, and now 13.

The whole thing is financed by the states that need government handouts the least.

These are the three southern powerhouses Santa Catarina, Paraná, and Rio Grande do Sul State, São Paulo, and the Federal District.

The latter, however, does not produce anything but benefits from the inflated state employees’ salaries, which are significantly higher than those of the private sector.

Live Market IntelligenceBrazil — Live Market BoardInside: market breadth, the sector heatmap, currencies & rates, the Latin America scoreboard and the full instrument board.

Rio Times · Live Market Intelligence

Brazil — Live Market Board

B3 · São Paulo
Sep 9, 2026 · 01:10

Ibovespa · benchmark
187,366.84
+1.20%
L 167,142day rangeH 168,310

+21.85% over 12 months

Market breadth · 15 names
47% advancing

7 ▲ advancing8 declining ▼

Currencies, rates & key inputs
USD / BRL
5.16
+0.01%

EUR / BRL
5.95
+1.01%

Selic rate
14.00%
·

Brent crude
88.88
-0.03%

Iron ore
161.91
·

Sector heatmap · average move today
Materials
+2.35%
SUZB3

Mining
+1.16%
VALE3, CSNA3, GGBR4

Industrials
+0.20%
WEGE3, RENT3

Financials
-0.10%
ITUB4, BBDC4, BBAS3, B3SA3

Energy
-0.12%
PETR4, PRIO3

Consumer Staples
-0.80%
ABEV3

Utilities
-1.38%
ENEV3

Consumer Disc.
-2.63%
AZZA3

Latin America scoreboard
IndexLastTodayStrength
IbovespaBrazil
187,366.84
+1.20%

S&P/BMV IPCMexico
65,010.39
+0.44%

S&P IPSAChile
11,315.26
-1.14%

S&P MERVALArgentina
3,075,982
+1.36%

MSCI COLCAPColombia
2,569.47
+0.15%

BVL S&P PerúPeru
59,620.96
+1.05%

Full instrument board
Instrument Last Change YoY Prev. High Low Volume
IBOV 187,366.84 +1.20% +21.85% 185,147.15 168,310 167,142
USD/BRL 5.16 +0.01% -5.13% 5.16 5.18 5.14
SELIC 14.00%
PETR4 41.64 -0.05% +35.19% 41.66 41.97 41.15 41,499,400
VALE3 72.97 +0.83% +30.75% 72.37 73.54 72.66 17,658,000
ITUB4 38.60 -1.03% +4.57% 39.00 39.34 38.39 29,487,800
BBDC4 16.85 +0.36% +3.50% 16.79 16.90 16.67 19,416,900
BBAS3 19.37 +0.47% +0.73% 19.28 19.44 19.16 11,069,200
B3SA3 14.26 -0.21% +12.73% 14.29 14.47 14.11 33,037,800
ABEV3 14.89 -0.80% +21.91% 15.01 15.07 14.81 16,453,100
WEGE3 47.59 +0.49% +29.99% 47.36 48.08 47.36 3,364,600
PRIO3 59.14 -0.19% +50.67% 59.25 59.81 58.74 3,325,600
SUZB3 41.33 +2.35% -23.55% 40.38 41.48 40.35 3,914,900
RENT3 34.68 -0.09% +0.84% 34.71 34.96 34.35 7,979,100
AZZA3 15.89 -2.63% -53.76% 16.32 16.42 15.82 1,330,300
CSNA3 4.30 +0.47% -42.65% 4.28 4.41 4.26 10,076,100
GGBR4 24.69 +2.19% +51.38% 24.16 24.85 24.18 7,047,600
ENEV3 24.21 -1.38% +70.49% 24.55 24.64 23.99 9,297,000

Largest moves today
AZZA3
15.89
-2.63%
SUZB3
41.33
+2.35%
GGBR4
24.69
+2.19%
ENEV3
24.21
-1.38%
IBOV
187,366.84
+1.20%
ITUB4
38.60
-1.03%
VALE3
72.97
+0.83%
ABEV3
14.89
-0.80%

The session read
The Ibovespa rose 1.20%, with breadth negative — 7 of 15 names higher. Materials led, while Consumer Disc. lagged.

This article was drafted with automated assistance and reviewed before publication. How we use AI · Report an error

Read More from The Rio Times

The Rio Times · Power Map
See who really holds power in Latin America
Click to open the Power Map

Rotate for Best Experience

This report is optimized for landscape viewing. Rotate your phone for the full experience.