Brasília – Foreign investment in fixed income papers and shares in Brazil reached US$ 50.448 billion from January to November this year, a record result since the Central Bank of Brazil started recording the figure, in 1947. The performance was influenced by the offer of Petrobras shares.
The estimate by the Central Bank is that this investment should end the year at US$ 51.3 billion, against US$ 38 billion forecasted in September. For 2011, the estimate rose from US$ 36 billion to US$ 40 billion.
The forecast for total foreign investment in Brazilian shares in 2010 was revised from US$ 22 billion to US$ 37.7 billion. In the case of fixed income, the projection dropped from US$ 16 billion to US$ 13.6 billion, due to an increase in the Tax on Financial Operations, in October.
The government increased the tax on foreign investment in fixed income and in some kinds of investment on the futures market from 4% to 6%. The objective was to contain the inflow of foreign funds into the country, which appreciates the Brazilian real.
For 2011, projections for total foreign investment in shares rose from US$ 21 billion to US$ 25 billion. The estimate for fixed income is US$ 15 billion.
*Translated by Mark Ament
