The U.S. dollar saw a downturn against the Brazilian real this Wednesday, marking an end to its five-day rally.
The dollar’s drop, part of a global depreciation trend, was influenced by Brazil’s Central Bank President Roberto Campos Neto’s comments on potential market intervention.
In Washington, Campos Neto addressed investor concerns about the dollar’s recent spike to R$5.29.
He noted that Brazil has a floating exchange rate, and the Central Bank intervenes only in major market disruptions.
His response countered rumors of possible market interventions, such as auctions or swaps, which he dismissed.
The dollar had approached a low of R$5.22 before jumping to R$5.27, only to close the day lower.
Campos Neto clarified that the Central Bank does not respond to changes in market risk premiums.
This stance aims to prevent unnecessary market distortions and maintain financial stability.
Financial results reflected this, with the spot commercial dollar closing down 0.50% at R$5.243.
The tourist dollar also declined by 0.56%, landing at R$5.449. Meanwhile, futures on the dollar showed a decrease of 0.84%, closing at 5,250 points.
The Brazilian Central Bank conducted an auction of up to 12,000 currency swap contracts to manage maturities due on July 1, 2024.
U.S. Dollar Experiences Decline Amid Brazil’s Central Bank Stance
This depreciation comes after a 1.64% increase in the dollar’s value, its highest close since March 23, 2023.
Over the past week, the dollar rose 5.23% against the real, indicating a strong uptrend that today’s decline only slightly offset.
Currency expert Thiago Avallone from Manchester Investments saw the drop as a profit-taking move many had expected.
He expressed concerns for the real, pointing to external data that might delay Federal Reserve rate cuts and Brazil’s fiscal overspending impacting financial goals.