01
\nWeather & Air Quality
\nWhat to wear
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Temperature
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20°–28°C
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Partly cloudy, warm
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Rain Chance
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35%
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Scattered showers PM
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UV Index
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High
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Sunscreen advised
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Sat 14
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28°C
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35% rain
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Sun 15
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29°C
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35% rain
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Mon 16
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31°C
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35% rain
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Tue 17
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30°C
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35% rain
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Weather tip: A marked improvement on yesterday’s 60% rain threat. Saturday’s 35% is concentrated in late afternoon, so morning and early-afternoon blocos (Tarado Ni Você from 11h, Agrada Gregos from 13h) should be largely dry. A light poncho for the Ibirapuera megablocos is smart insurance, but this is the best day of the four-day forecast. The Anhembi tonight should be clear. Sunscreen for daytime blocos, hydrate between stops.
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02
\nDay at a Glance
\nQuick scan
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—ANHEMBI TONIGHT — Grupo Especial Night 2 from 22h30. Seven schools: Império de Casa Verde (22h30), Águia de Ouro (23h35), Mocidade Alegre (0h40), Gaviões da Fiel (1h45), Estrela do Terceiro Milênio (2h50), Tom Maior (3h55), Camisa Verde e Branco (5h). Favourites: Mocidade Alegre, Gaviões da Fiel
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—GLORIA GROOVE + AGRADA GREGOS — the biggest megabloco of Saturday takes the Obelisco do Ibirapuera from 13h to 18h, with Bloco do TikTok. Pop, axe, funk, electronic — up to 500,000 expected
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—TARADO NI VOCÊ — Caetano Veloso tribute bloco at Av. Ipiranga x Av. São João from 11h. This year’s theme: Brazilian cinema. Come dressed as a character from the silver screen
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—MODO SURTO + LUÍSA SONZA — Ibirapuera (Obelisco) from 12h. Pop, funk, choreography. One of the most photographed blocos in São Paulo
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—Metrô 24h continues — tonight ALL stations open for embarque and desembarque (upgrade from last night). Free buses Tietê and Barra Funda to Anhembi from 18h
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—28°C, 35% rain — much better than yesterday’s 60%. Storms concentrated late afternoon. Morning blocos should be dry. Poncho recommended for Ibirapuera PM
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—Ibovespa closed Friday at 186,464 (-0.69%). USD/BRL at R$5.23 (+0.57%). B3 now CLOSED until Wed Feb 18 at 13h. Banks closed Mon 16 & Tue 17
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—Tomorrow: Grupo de Acesso 1 at Anhembi from 21h. Ilú Obá de Min returns (R. Conselheiro Brotero, 14h). Bloco 89 with Supla (Av. Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 13h–18h)
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Saturday is the biggest day of São Paulo’s Carnaval 2026. At the Anhembi, the second and final night of the Grupo Especial begins at 22h30 with seven schools completing the championship round. The favourites to challenge Rosas de Ouro’s defence are Mocidade Alegre — the second most-decorated school in São Paulo history — entering the avenida at 0h40, and Gaviões da Fiel, the Corinthians-affiliated powerhouse chasing its first title since 2003, on at 1h45 with an enredo on ancestral voices and forest preservation. Império de Casa Verde opens the night; Camisa Verde e Branco closes at 5h. The apuração is on Tuesday Feb 17 at 16h at the Fábrica do Samba, with live broadcast on Globo.
This is part of The Rio Times’ daily coverage of São Paulo business and economic developments.
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On the streets, the Obelisco do Ibirapuera becomes São Paulo’s Carnaval epicentre. Gloria Groove takes the Agrada Gregos megabloco from 13h to 18h, partnering with the Bloco do TikTok in what is expected to be the most-attended single bloco of the weekend — a reference point for pop, funk, and electronic music in the open air. Earlier in the day at the same venue, Modo Surto with Luísa Sonza draws the midday crowd from 12h. In the Centro, the beloved Tarado Ni Você occupies the iconic crossroads of Av. Ipiranga and Av. São João from 11h with its Caetano Veloso repertoire — this year reimagined through Brazilian cinema.
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The Ibovespa closed Friday’s pre-Carnaval session at 186,464 points (-0.69%), weighed down by Vale (-2.47%) after the miner reported a Q4 loss and by Petrobras (-0.59%). The dollar rose to R$5.23. B3 is now closed until Wednesday Feb 18 at 13h. In the US, January CPI came in at 2.4% annual (below expected 2.5%, down from 2.7%), reviving hopes for two Fed rate cuts in 2026. For expats, the real at R$5.22–5.23 remains favourable by recent standards, though it slipped from mid-week lows near R$5.15.
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03
\nCulture & Events
\nWhat to see & do
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Anhembi — Grupo Especial Night 2
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Grupo Especial Night 2 — Anhembi
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Sambódromo do Anhembi, Av. Olavo Fontoura, Santana — From 22h30 —
ligasp.com.br\n
Seven schools close out the Grupo Especial: (1) Império de Casa Verde — 22h30 — “Império dos Balangandãs: Joias Negras Afro-Brasileiras,” on the empowerment of enslaved women of profit; (2) Águia de Ouro — 23h35 — “Mokum Amesterdã,” exploring Dutch-Brazilian cultural ties; (3) Mocidade Alegre — 0h40 — second most-titled school in SP history; (4) Gaviões da Fiel — 1h45 — “Vozes Ancestrais para um Novo Amanhã,” on Indigenous resistance and forest preservation; (5) Estrela do Terceiro Milênio — 2h50; (6) Tom Maior — 3h55 — honouring medium Chico Xavier; (7) Camisa Verde e Branco — 5h. The top five qualify for the Desfile das Campeãs on Feb 21. Two schools will be relegated.
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Tickets still available via ligasp.com.br. Apuração: Tue Feb 17 at 16h, Fábrica do Samba. Live on Globo. Favourites: Mocidade Alegre and Gaviões da Fiel, who aim to break a 23-year title drought.
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Blocos de Rua — Saturday Highlights
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Agrada Gregos + Bloco do TikTok — Gloria Groove
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Av. Pedro Álvares Cabral, Obelisco do Ibirapuera — 13h–18h — Free
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São Paulo’s biggest megabloco of Saturday. Gloria Groove headlines a set mixing pop, axe, funk, and electronic music in one of the most diverse blocos in Brazil. The Ibirapuera setting offers wide avenues and park adjacency — the most comfortable megabloco experience in the city. Expect massive crowds from 14h onward.
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Arrive by 12h30 to secure position near the trio elétrico. Metro to AACD-Servidor (Line 5) or bus to Ibirapuera. Uber surge will be extreme after 18h.
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Tarado Ni Você — Caetano Veloso Tribute
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Av. Ipiranga x Av. São João, República — 11h–15h — Free
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One of São Paulo’s most traditional blocos, Tarado Ni Você takes the iconic crossroads of Ipiranga and São João every Carnaval Saturday. This year’s theme is Brazilian cinema — foliões are invited to dress as characters from the silver screen. The repertoire reimagines Caetano’s songbook through samba, reggae, and afoxe rhythms.
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Why it matters for expats: The most culturally authentic bloco experience in the Centro — intimate, musical, and deeply São Paulo. Metro to República.
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More Blocos by Zone
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→ Centro: Samby Junior (Largo do Arouche, 11h — Sandy & Junior/90s hits as samba), MinhoQueens (Av. Ipiranga, 13h — LGBTQIA+ glitter and confetti), Bloco dos Bancários (R. XV de Novembro, 10h), Bloco 77 (Centro — punk as marchinhas)
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→ Ibirapuera & Zona Sul: Modo Surto + Luísa Sonza (Obelisco, 12h), Bloco Vou de Táxi (Vila Mariana, 13h), FitDance (Vila Mariana, 14h), Bloco Amoribunda (Vila Mariana, 16h)
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→ Zona Oeste & Pinheiros: Bloco do Escocês (Pinheiros, 10h), Bloco MPBebados (Pinheiros, 13h), Gringolôco (Pinheiros, 16h — popular with expats), Bloco Emo (Av. Paulo VI, Sumarezinho, 13h)
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→ Liberdade & Bela Vista: Bloco Otaku (Praça da Liberdade, 13h–18h — anime-themed costumes), Tecnomacumba (Pátio do Colégio, 14h–18h — electronic beats meet terreiro rhythms)
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Museums & Cultural Spaces
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→ MASP — Histórias Latino-Americanas cycle: Sandra Gamarra, La Chola Poblete, Santiago Yahuarcani. Open today 10h–18h (R$70, half R$35). Tue entry free
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→ Pinacoteca — Open through Carnaval. Check hours online — some institutions have reduced schedules this weekend
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→ IMS Paulista — Free. Open Sat 10h–20h. A quiet refuge between blocos on Av. Paulista
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04
\nTransport & Getting Around
\nKnow before you go
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Metrô & CPTM
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24H — ALL STATIONS OPEN TONIGHT
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Upgrade from last night: ALL Metrô stations open for embarque and desembarque tonight (Sat-to-Sun). Lines 1-Azul, 2-Verde, 3-Vermelha, 15-Prata run through the night. CPTM and private lines (4-Amarela, 5-Lilás) also 24h desembarque. Palmeiras-Barra Funda open 24h for full service.
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Anhembi Access
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FREE BUSES FROM 18H
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Free SPTrans “Atende” buses: Line 179A-10 from Metrô Tietê (Av. Cruzeiro do Sul, 1.777), Line 879A-10 from Metrô Barra Funda (Av. Mário de Andrade). Return from Anhembi Portão 1 (Av. Olavo Fontoura). Parking at Anhembi via R. Massinet Sorcinelli, Portões 05 and 07.
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Road Restrictions
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RODÍZIO SUSPENDED
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Vehicle rotation (rodízio) and Zona Azul paid parking are both suspended through Carnaval. Rolling road closures near bloco routes in Centro (Av. Ipiranga, Av. São João), Ibirapuera (Av. Pedro Álvares Cabral), and Anhembi area from 20h.
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Getting to Blocos
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METRO IS BEST
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Tarado Ni Você: República station (Lines 3/4). Agrada Gregos at Ibirapuera: AACD-Servidor (Line 5) or bus. Bloco Otaku: Liberdade station (Line 1). Anhembi: Portuguesa-Tietê (Line 1) or Barra Funda (Line 3) + free bus. Uber/99 surge extreme near Ibirapuera after 17h.
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Transport tip: Tonight is the best night for metro-to-Anhembi travel — all stations are open for embarque and desembarque, unlike last night when only Portuguesa-Tietê and Barra Funda allowed boarding. For blocos, budget extra time returning from Ibirapuera after 18h — Uber surge and road closures will make the metro significantly faster.
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05
\nFood & Drink
\nWhere to eat
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Restaurant Picks
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→ Bar da Dona Onça, Centro (Edifício Copan) — Feijoada, bolinhos de bacalhau, coxinha de rabada. Ideal pre-bloco fuel near Tarado Ni Você. R$50–90
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→ Padaria Santa Tereza, Vila Mariana — All-day breakfast, pão na chapa, and proper café coado. Open early for pre-bloco carb loading. R$20–40
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Hydration & Street Food
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→ Ambulantes around Ibirapuera will sell water, beer, and espetinhos. Prices higher near the Obelisco. Buy water at supermarkets beforehand
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→ Pastel de feira and caldo de cana near blocos in Centro and Lapa. Cash in small bills (R$5/10/20) — many ambulantes don’t take card
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06
\nPractical Information
\nNeed to know
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Money & Rates
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→ USD/BRL: R$5.23 (Fri close, +0.57%). Touched R$5.15 intraday earlier in the week — lowest since May 2024
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→ EUR/BRL: approx. R$6.20
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→ Selic rate: 15.00% (next Copom meeting March)
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→ Banks CLOSED today (Saturday). Closed Mon 16 & Tue 17 (feriado bancário). Reopen Wed 18 at 12h. Pix and ATMs function 24/7
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Health & Safety
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→ UPAs and hospitais de referência operating with expanded capacity through Carnaval. SAMU 192 for emergencies
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→ Phone safety: pochete (belt bag) under clothing. Minimal cash. Leave passport at home. Screenshot metro maps offline
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→ Lei Seca: zero tolerance. GCM and PM checkpoints near major bloco dispersal points. Use metro
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→ Dengue season active — repellent at dusk, especially in Ibirapuera and park-adjacent blocos
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Carnaval Calendar
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→ Anhembi: Grupo Especial Fri 13 & Sat 14 / Grupo de Acesso 1 Sun 15 (21h) / Apuração Tue 17 (16h) / Desfile das Campeãs Sat 21
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→ Street blocos: 627 official blocos (Prefeitura). Folia runs Sat 14 through Tue 17. Pós-Carnaval Sat 21 & Sun 22. Expected: 16.5 million people, R$3.4bn economic impact
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→ Holiday status: Mon 16 ponto facultativo. Tue 17 official feriado (Lei Estadual 14.485/2011). B3 closed Mon–Tue, reopens Wed 18 at 13h
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07
\nCommunity & Expat Life
\nConnect
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Expat Carnaval Picks
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→ First Carnaval? Start with Tarado Ni Você (Centro, 11h) for an authentic, mid-sized bloco. Move to Agrada Gregos at Ibirapuera for the megabloco experience in the afternoon
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→ Gringolôco (Pinheiros, 16h) — explicitly international, popular with the expat community. English-friendly, good meeting point for first-timers
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→ InterNations SP — check the app for group bloco outings and Carnaval meetups
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Shopping & Services
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→ Shopping malls open with reduced hours: lojas 10h–22h, restaurants 12h–last customer. Tue: lojas may close, restaurants only. Check individual malls
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→ Supermarkets: most open today with normal hours. Stock up for the next four days — water, electrolytes, snacks, sunscreen
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08
\nSports
\nScores & fixtures
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Football — Carnaval Break
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→ Brasileirão and Paulistão paused for Carnaval. All SP clubs idle: Corinthians, Palmeiras, São Paulo FC, Santos
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→ Brasileirão standings after R3: São Paulo lead on 7 pts. Flamengo and Fortaleza on 6 pts
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→ Football resumes after Quarta-feira de Cinzas
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Running & Fitness
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→ Ibirapuera will be taken over by megablocos from midday. Runners: use the 6h–9h window or switch to Parque Villa-Lobos or Pico do Jaraguá
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→ Ciclovia Faria Lima may be disrupted by Bloco 89 tomorrow (Sun). Check CET-SP for closures
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Sports note: Both the Brasileirão and Paulistão are on Carnaval break. The only competition in São Paulo this weekend is at the Anhembi. Football resumes after Quarta-feira de Cinzas.
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09
\nBusiness & Markets
\nMarket watch
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→ B3 CLOSED — Carnaval recess began after Friday’s session. Reopens Wed Feb 18 at 13h (pré-abertura 12h45)
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→ Ibovespa: Fri close 186,464 (-0.69%). Wed record 189,699 (+2.03%, 11th all-time high of 2026). Week: +1.92%. Fri dragged by Vale (-2.47%) after Q4 loss, Petrobras (-0.59%)
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→ USD/BRL: Fri close R$5.23 (+0.57%). Week: +0.18%. Mid-week low R$5.15 (lowest since May 2024)
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→ US CPI (Jan): 2.4% annual (below expected 2.5%, down from 2.7% Dec). Markets now pricing two Fed cuts in 2026, first likely July
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→ US markets also closed Mon Feb 16 (Presidents’ Day). Both B3 and NYSE dark on Monday — low global liquidity through Wednesday
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Market trend: The Ibovespa enters Carnaval up 1.92% for the week despite Friday’s correction, with a record close of 189,699 on Wednesday and a historic intraday breach of 190,000. Foreign capital inflows continue to exceed last year’s pace (R$30.5bn year-to-date vs R$25.5bn for all of 2025). The convergence of Carnaval in Brazil and Presidents’ Day in the US means both B3 and NYSE are closed Monday — a rare simultaneous shutdown that concentrates all repricing into Wednesday’s shortened session. The softer-than-expected US CPI may support emerging market flows when trading resumes.
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10
\nWeek Ahead
\nPlan ahead
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Carnaval Week (Sun–Sat)
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→ Sun Feb 15 — Grupo de Acesso 1 at Anhembi from 21h. Ilú Obá de Min returns (R. Conselheiro Brotero, 14h). Bloco 89 + Supla (Av. Brig. Faria Lima, 13h–18h). Pocah megabloco (Ibirapuera, 13h–18h). Michel Teló Sertanejinho (Ibirapuera, 11h–16h)
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→ Mon Feb 16 — Ponto facultativo. B3 and NYSE both closed. Bloco da Pabllo Vittar (Ibirapuera, 13h–18h — most anticipated bloco of the week). Espetacular Charanga do França (Vila Buarque, 9h–14h)
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→ Tue Feb 17 — Official feriado (state law). Apuração at 16h, Fábrica do Samba (live Globo). Bloco da Pabllo (Ibirapuera, 11h). Bloco da Pagu (República, 11h–16h — feminist bloco). Last official day of folia
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→ Wed Feb 18 — Quarta-feira de Cinzas. Banks reopen 12h. B3 reopens 13h. City returns to normal operations
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→ Sat Feb 21 — Desfile das Campeãs at Anhembi. BaianaSystem Navio Pirata (Ibirapuera, 15h–18h). Pós-Carnaval blocos resume
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→ Sun Feb 22 — Final day of pós-Carnaval blocos. Carnaval officially ends
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Looking ahead: São Paulo’s Carnaval 2026 is the largest in the city’s history — 627 official blocos, 16.5 million expected participants, and R$3.4 billion in projected economic impact. Tonight’s Grupo Especial Night 2 completes the Anhembi championship round, with Mocidade Alegre and Gaviões da Fiel the top contenders against defending champion Rosas de Ouro. Tomorrow, the Grupo de Acesso 1 takes the Anhembi from 21h. On Monday, Pabllo Vittar’s megabloco at Ibirapuera is the single most anticipated event of Carnaval week. On Tuesday, the apuração at 16h names the champion. Today, the streets and the Anhembi compete for the hearts of São Paulo.
Related: Rio de Janeiro Brief | Brazil Morning Call
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