Ibovespa Gains Ground Despite Tariff Announcements and Economic Revisions
The Brazilian stock market index, Ibovespa, regained some ground on Thursday, supported by positive sentiment from Wall Street. Despite the announcement of reciprocal tariffs by former U.S. President Donald Trump and revisions to key economic indicators by Brazil’s Ministry of Finance, the market demonstrated resilience.
After a sharp decline the previous day, Ibovespa closed with a modest gain of 0.38%, reaching 124,850.18 points, close to its intraday high. Simultaneously, the U.S. dollar edged up slightly against the Brazilian real, closing at R$ 5.7689 with a 0.10% increase.
Earnings reports for the fourth quarter of 2024 played a central role in shaping Thursday’s market activity. Suzano (SUZB3), a major player in the pulp and paper industry, reported a net loss of R$ 6.737 billion for the quarter.
This marked a stark contrast to its net profit of R$ 3.237 billion in the third quarter and R$ 4.515 billion in the same period last year. Despite this significant loss, analysts viewed Suzano’s results as better than anticipated, which drove its shares up by over 2%.
Technology company Totvs (TOTS3) also emerged as one of Ibovespa’s top performers after reporting an adjusted net profit of R$ 236.8 million for the fourth quarter. This represented an impressive year-over-year growth of 41.5%, surpassing market expectations.
The strong performance of its Techfin business unit contributed significantly to these results, further boosting investor confidence. Meanwhile, Braskem (BRKM5) and Usiminas (USIM5) led Ibovespa’s gains as part of broader position adjustments by traders.
Conversely, Localiza (RENT3) and BRF (BRFS3) recorded weaker performances and ranked among the day’s worst performers. Heavyweights Petrobras (PETR4; PETR3) and Vale (VALE3) ended the session near flat levels, reflecting overall market stability.
Ibovespa Gains Ground Despite Tariff Announcements and Economic Revisions
In the United States, Wall Street responded to fresh economic data and Trump’s announcement of reciprocal tariffs while closely monitoring ceasefire negotiations in Ukraine under his mediation efforts.
The Producer Price Index (PPI) rose by 0.4% last month, exceeding expectations and signaling persistent inflationary pressures in the economy. Weekly jobless claims fell during the same period, suggesting continued stability in the labor market at the start of February.
Major U.S. indices closed higher on Thursday, amplifying global investor optimism. The Dow Jones gained 0.77%, closing at 44,711.43 points; the S&P 500 rose by 1.04%, finishing at 6,115.07 points; and the Nasdaq surged by 1.50%, ending at 19,945.64 points.
The session underscored investors’ ability to navigate uncertainties stemming from geopolitical developments and economic shifts while identifying opportunities across sectors and regions.
