Brazil’s 10-year government bond yield climbed to 15.25% in November, driven by uncertainty over fiscal policy and mounting expectations of a US Federal Reserve rate hike. Investors remain closely focused on Brazil’s fiscal stance, particularly the administration’s willingness to rein in spending and stabilize public debt, which has grown sharply in recent years.
President Lula has come under increasing market pressure to present a credible fiscal adjustment plan. Concerns about the country’s debt trajectory prompted him to meet with members of his economic team and former advisers, though no concrete measures have been announced so far.
At the same time, US nonfarm payrolls rose by 165,000 last month, surpassing all estimates, while the unemployment rate edged down. These stronger labor-market data reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve will maintain a restrictive policy stance for longer. Persistently high rates in advanced economies may also push Brazil’s central bank (BCB) to keep domestic monetary policy tight. Reflecting this, the BCB left the Selic rate unchanged at 13.75% at its latest meeting, halting its easing cycle.
