Copom raises interest rate in 0.5% to 14.25% per year and indicates an stable rate in the near future

As expected by the majority of the economists, the decision of the Central Bank was to raise the SELIC to 14.25% per year. The 0.5% increase is the seventh in the tightening cycle started last october.

The raise was expected because the inflation is currently at the dangerously high levels, with the IPCA, the official inflation index at 8.89% inflation accumulated in the last 12 months. The reduction in the fiscal saving target from 1.1% of the GDP to 0.15% announced last week left the hard part of the inflation combat to the monetary policy.

The monetary committee indicated, however, that the SELIC will probably remain at this level in the next meetings. “The committee understands that the maintenance of this level for the interest rate benchmark for a period long enough is necessary to bring the inflation the the target at the end of 2016”, said the central bank in its note. The Brazilian inflation target is 4.5% per year plus or minus 2%, so from: 2.5% to 6.5%.