FX.co ★ Ibovespa Sets New High on Dividend Boost

The Ibovespa index climbed above the 158,500 mark on Friday, reaching a new peak as gains were led by companies such as Vale and Itaú, owing to their announcements of substantial dividend payouts. Itaú surged over 2% following its approval of R$23.4 billion in dividends and interest on equity, while Vale increased approximately 1.5% after endorsing payments of R$3.58 per share. Other notable performers included Bradesco, which rose by 1%, Banco do Brasil at 0.8%, Itaúsa at 2.2%, and Rede D’Or at 1.8%. Contrarily, Petrobras witnessed a decline of over 3.5% after unveiling its 2026–2030 investment strategy, which is 1.8% less than the previous year's plan, reflecting forecasts of reduced oil prices. The positive sentiment was further bolstered by Brazil’s unemployment rate dropping to a historic low of 5.4%, slightly surpassing the anticipated 5.5%.