Author: Lucca Suassuna de Carvalho

Brazil’s Petlove raises $150M from Riverwood, Softbank to sell pet products and services online

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Petlove&Co, a São Paulo-based digital platform for products and services for the pet market, announced today that it has raised about $150 million (R$750 million) in a funding round led by Riverwood Capital.

The round is nearly double that of what Petlove has raised in its history. The company started its life as PetSuperMarket when it was founded in 1999 in the early days of the internet. Today, the company continues to operate an online store offering a wide range of pet products and services.

By Mary Ann Azevedo via Tech Crunch

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Brazil confident soybeans harvest will confirm it continues as the world’s leader in the oilseed production

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Brazil’s National Supply Company, Conab, anticipated forecasts for the coming grains and oilseeds season 2021/22. The soy crop is expected to reach some 141,26 million tons or a 3.9% increase over the current harvest.

As to the area sown, it is estimated at 39,91 million hectares, 3,6% higher than in 2020/21, while yield per hectare could reach 3,539 kilos in 2022, up 0,29%. “It seems a tiny increase but it is significant given the latest technologies in which Brazilian farmers have invested”, according to Fernando Gomes da Motta, one of Conab’s managers.

 

Via Merco Press

 

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Inclusion, Equity, & Diversity Update – SEC Approves Nasdaq Rule on Board Diversity

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As companies focus on workforce inclusion, equity, and diversity (IE&D), they are under increasing pressure to assure that the membership of their boards reflects these values. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently approved a rule proposed by Nasdaq that requires companies listed on its exchange to meet certain minimum diversity targets on their boards or explain in writing why they are not doing so.  This “comply or explain” approach demands of corporations additional accountability for IE&D efforts, requiring them to navigate diversity and anti-discrimination considerations thoughtfully.

In the United States, implementing workforce quotas that mandate hiring on the basis of protected characteristics such as race, ethnicity, or gender is generally unlawful.  While the law encourages voluntary diversity efforts, they are subject to careful judicial scrutiny to ensure that they do not constitute unlawful “reverse” discrimination.  There has been an increase in investigations and related lawsuits as to whether diversity initiatives constitute unlawful discrimination.

 

By Philip Berkowitz, Corinn Jackson and Britney Torres via Littler

 

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Littler COVID-19 Vaccine Employer Survey Report: Delta Variant Update

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After more than a year of a crushing global pandemic, the early summer brought hope for a long-anticipated return to normal business operations, at least in the United States. But those plans were derailed by the rapid spread of the highly contagious delta variant and mounting COVID-19 infections. The abrupt change left companies – many of which had just updated plans with an eye toward a post-pandemic future – scrambling to adjust policies on such pressing issues as vaccination, return-to-office timing and mask wearing.

To better understand where employers stand and where we may be headed next, Littler surveyed 1,630 in-house lawyers, C-suite executives and HR professionals from a variety of industries about their current plans, concerns and key considerations when it comes to vaccination of their workforces.

 

By Barry A. Hartstein and Devjani H. Mishra via Littler

 

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The New Equation | Our strategy

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The New Equation focuses on two interconnected needs that clients face in a world of technological disruption, fractured geopolitics, climate change and the enduring impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first is to build trust. Our approach to building trust is designed to meet rising expectations of transparency and stakeholder engagement. It recognises that reporting and compliance are just one link in a chain that includes organisational culture, executive mindset, aligned standards, certified professionals, stringent controls, tailored technologies, and appropriate governance. It continues to place a commitment to quality at its core.

 

By PwC

 

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Três ações para fabricantes de dispositivos de Internet das Coisas (IoT) motivadas pela IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act de 2020

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  • Uma lei federal promulgada recentemente nos Estados Unidos visa tornar os dispositivos de Internet das Coisas (IoT) mais seguros e pode ser um divisor de águas para os fabricantes de dispositivos e as empresas que fornecem esses artefatos para o governo.
  • Muitos sistemas embarcados, incluindo IoT, carecem de controles básicos de segurança. As razões para isso incluem restrições de hardware, custos de segurança e pressa para colocar os dispositivos no mercado

 

By PwC

 

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Brazil eyes more rigs as utilisation hits 92%

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Competitive rig utilisation for Brazil-based rigs has increased by 9% in six months, reaching 92% in June. Based on the current rig demand outlook and domestic supply drying up, it is likely that operators will have to source more rigs from outside of the region.

Esgian Rig Analytics shows that there are 22 rigs currently drilling offshore Brazil, and oil and gas companies are expected to ramp up activity further with a recent surge in tendering activity.

 

By Adis Ajdin via Splash 247.com

 

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Tribute to H.E. Ambassador Carlos Eduardo Alves de Souza (1933-2021)

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Tribute to H.E. Ambassador Carlos Eduardo Alves de Souza

(September 21, 1933 – August 26, 2021)

 

On behalf of the Board of Directors of The Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce, we regretfully inform you of the passing, on August 26, 2021, of Ambassador Carlos Eduardo Alves de Souza.

Ambassador Alves de Souza was born on September 21, 1933, to Wladimir Alves de Souza and Maria Adélia in Rio de Janeiro.

His diplomatic career spanned more than 40 years and many different countries. He served as Ambassador of Brazil to the Czech Republic, Paraguay, and Switzerland. He also held several senior positions in Brasília, including the Office of the President in 1985. Ambassador Alves de Souza served as Consul General of Brazil in New York between 1981 and 1984. His interaction with the Chamber strengthened ties between Brazil and the United States and furthered the Chamber’s mission of promoting trade and investment between the two nations. He retired in 2001 to Rio de Janeiro and focused on his family, friends, golf, and his beloved soccer team, Flamengo.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Ambassador Carlos Eduardo Alves de Souza as we mourn his passing.

WhatsApp to adjust privacy rules in Brazil

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After months of negotiations with the authorities, WhatsApp has committed to adjust its privacy policy in Brazil with transparency practices rolled out in line with the rules in place in the European Union.

The commitment from the messaging app follows cross-government efforts led by the National Data Protection Authority (ANPD), the antitrust watchdog Cade, national consumer body Senacon and the Federal Prosecution Service. The authorities had been engaging with the platform to ensure data protection and consumer rights are observed in Brazil, in the context of the app’s updated privacy rules introduced globally in May.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Brazilian Fintech Cora raises $116M Series B as Tiger Global, Tencent sign on as investors alongside Greenoaks

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Cora, a Brazilian digital lender to small-and-medium-sized businesses, has raised $116 million in a Series B round led by Greenoaks Capital.

This is a large Series B by any standards, but particularly so for a Latin American startup. It’s also notable that São Paulo-based Cora only raised its $26.7 million Series A round — led by Silicon Valley VC firm Ribbit Capital — in early April. The startup has now raised a total of $152.7 million since its 2019 inception.

 

By Mary Ann Azevedo via Tech Crunch

 

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Brazil Could Provide A Quarter Of The World’s Offshore Oil In 4 Years

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As Brazil’s oil industry looks set to soar over the next decade, with the potential to provide almost a quarter of the world’s offshore oil by 2025, Big Oil is betting big on the oil-rich state.

Unlike the rest of the world, which reined in oil production in 2020 as demand stagnated in the wake of a global pandemic, Brazil actually increased its output. These sustained levels of production put it on route to double its output by 2030, making it the world’s fifth-largest exporter, a target that appears realistic thanks to its low cost-oil giving the country a competitive advantage over many OPEC+ states.

 

Via Yahoo Finance

 

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No Soup for You & Take Your Coffee to Go – Accommodations and the Key to NYC Pass

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New York City recently implemented the Key to NYC Pass, which requires patrons and employees of certain indoor entertainment, recreation, dining, and fitness establishments to prove that they have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to enter the establishment.  There is no “testing out” option, so it is possible that some patrons and employees may raise issues of discrimination or request accommodations in relation to the vaccination mandate.

On August 17, 2021, the New York City Commission on Human Rights (NYCCHR) issued “Guidance for Businesses on Equitable Implementation of Key to NYC.”1  The guidance is aimed at assisting “covered entities”2 and employers impacted by the mandatory vaccination requirements with avoiding discrimination claims and managing requests for reasonable accommodations by those who claim they cannot receive the COVID-19 vaccination due to their membership in one or more protected categories under the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL).3  Similar guidance was also issued for customers and employees.

 

By Lisa M. Griffith, Devjani H. Mishra and Mark T. Phillis via Littler

 

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OSHA Publishes Updated COVID-19 Guidance in Light of Rising Delta Variant Cases

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On August 13, 2021, OSHA issued updated guidance to better align with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s July 27, 2021 recommendations, given the rising cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant.  The guidance’s purpose is to summarize the CDC’s “substantial or high transmission” guidance and assist employers in recognizing and abating COVID-19 hazards in the workplace.  In the guidance’s preamble, OSHA “strongly encourages” employers to provide paid time off to workers for the time it takes to get vaccinated and recover from side effects, and to consider working with local public health authorities to provide vaccinations in the workplace. OSHA also suggests that employers “consider adopting policies that require workers to get vaccinated or to undergo regular COVID-19 testing – in addition to mask wearing and physical distancing – if they remain unvaccinated.”

 

By Alka Ramchandani-Raj and Karen Charlson via Littler

 

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Brazil expands tax cuts to nat gas projects

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The Brazilian federal government will include the natural gas sector in an existing tax incentive program for infrastructure investments, a move that could boost the country’s burgeoning gas markets.

The new ordinance will let natural gas production, processing, pipelines and local distribution system projects waive up to 9.25pc in federal taxes on machinery or feedstock under the existing Special Regime to Incentivize Infrastructure Investments (REIDI). REIDI was created in 2007 for transportation, power, ports, energy, irrigation and sanitation sectors, to eliminate the PIS and Cofins taxes which generate funds for social programs.

 

By Flávia Pierry via Argus Media

 

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Chevron sees Brazil’s pre-salt oil as prize asset – executive

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HOUSTON, Aug 17 (Reuters) – Chevron Corp (CVX.N)is hoping to play a role in Brazil’s pre-salt oil discoveries, the U.S. oil major’s Brazil chief said on Tuesday at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston.

The “pre-salt chapter” might be the most important development in Chevron’s more than century-long presence in Brazil, said country manager Mariano Vela. Chevron has held interests in 11 deep water projects in Brazil’s Campos and Santos basins since 2018.

By Sabrina Valle and Marianna Parraga via Reuters

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Brazil’s Kovi closes $104M Series B to make car ownership more inclusive in LatAm

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We sometimes take for granted that most anyone who wishes to become say, an Uber driver, can do so. But that assumption is a narrow view considering there are many people who would love to earn income in that way but can’t because of lack of car ownership (and all that goes with it) — especially in countries outside of the United States.

In an attempt to remedy that problem, São Paulo-based Kovi was founded in 2018 to give those people access to those opportunities.

 

By Mary Ann Azevedo via Tech Crunch

 

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As its startup market accelerates, Brazil could be in for an IPO bonanza

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Brazil’s startup market is reaching new heights, and its domestic stock market could benefit from the boom.

According to data from KPMG, Brazilian startups raised the most capital in a single quarter in Q1 2021, when some $1.4 billion flowed into domestic technology upstarts. That record stood until the second quarter of 2021 saw $2.7 billion raised by Brazilian startups.

 

By Nigel Sussman via Tech Crunch

 

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Customer data sharing under Open Banking commences in Brazil

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One of the most important phases of the Brazilian open banking project, which involves the sharing of customer registration and transactional data, has gone live today (13), enabling consumers to request their financial information is shared with other institutions.

The open banking initiative, introduced by the Central Bank of Brazil in early 2019, aims to boost market competition and increase financial education in the Latin American country. Under the model, use of open application programming interfaces (APIs) enable third-party developers to build applications and services around the participating financial institutions, with consumer data shared with their consent.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Brazil imported 4.88 GW of PV modules in H1

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The Brazilian solar market resumed strong growth in the middle of the second year of the Covid-19 pandemic. According to a recent report by Brazilian consultancy Greener, the country imported 4.88 GW worth of PV modules in the first half of 2021. This compares to just 2.2 GW in the first six months of last year, and surpasses the 4.76 GW of PV module imports registered for the whole of 2020.

 

By Livia Neves via PV Magazine

 

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Inffinito Brazilian Film Festival is proud to announce the lineup for its 25th edition!

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The 25th edition of the largest and most relevant Brazilian film festival outside Brazil will present 56 films in a hybrid format from September 4th to 18th

 

For the first time, the competitive screening selection has three Brazil-United States co-productions: one feature and three short films. The films will show online in the US at www.inff.online – the first international streaming platform, launched this year by Inffinito, dedicated exclusively to Brazilian audiovisual. In addition to online exhibitions, with all CDC protocols in place, those in New York and Miami can attend in-person Festival outdoor screenings and events.

 

The festival’s opening night in New York presents Dom Salvador Samba Jazz Sextet in concert at the SummerStage in Central Park on September 4th at 8:30 pm – a partnership with City Parks Foundation. Dom Salvador, Salvador da Silva Filho, is a Brazilian instrumentalist, arranger, and composer who lives in NY since 1973. He plays piano at the River Cafe among concerts and recordings. Some consider him responsible for changing the course of Brazilian music and for adding some soul to Roberto Carlos’ songs in the 70s. The beauty, rhythm, and sounds of African American musicians’ soul genre. The documentary “Dom Salvador & Abolition” by Artur Ratton and Lilka Hara tells his story, which is unknown to the Brazilian public. The film will screen at 7:00 pm, shortly before his concert.

 

Awards and Jury: The Competitive Screenings’ films will compete for the Crystal Lens award in the Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Photography, Best Actor, and Best Actress categories. In addition, the Best Documentary has a separate award. Actress Betty Faria is the chair of the feature film jury. Also, in the jury, actress Camila Morgado, the screenwriter and visual artist Luiz Dolino, film critic, screenwriter, curator, and cultural director journalist and content producer Lorenna Montenegro and John Maass, filmmaker, and lawyer. For the Documentary Competitive Screenings, the jury is composed of photographer Maritza Caneca; filmmaker and actor Luciano Vidigal; Flavia Azeredo, linguistics, culture, and cinema professor; and Bianca De Felipes, producer and distributor of films and series. In addition, the audience elects the popular vote award winner in the Best Feature Film, Best Documentary, and Best Short Film categories.

 

Canal Brasil Tribute: In Brazil, in addition to online screenings, the public will watch a unique selection on TV. As part of the 25th Inffinito Film Festival anniversary celebration, Canal Brasil will present, in prime time (on Saturdays and Sundays, between September 4th and 26th, at 10 pm), the iconic productions awarded by the festival throughout its journey. The selection includes the titles: The Quartet (09/04), Stomach – A Gastronomic Story (09/05), The Kiss (2018) (09/11), João, O Maestro (09/12), Raul – The Beginning, The End and The Middle (09/18), The Patient – The Tancredo Neves Case (09/19), Loki – Arnaldo Batista (09/25) and Urban Snap- Shots (09/26).

 

Check out the 25th Inffinito Brazilian Film Festival lineup below:

 

Presential Screenings | New York and Miami:

Film material: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1IbN49P853p9ndh0iFRPsT9eU-aZLrXd4  

 

Sept 4 – SummerStage in Central Park, NY – free admission

6:00 PM – Screening of short film The Orphan, by Carolina Markowicz

7:00 PM – Screening of Feature Film Dom Salvador & Abolition, by Artur Ratton and Lilka Hara

Sept 10 – North Beach Bandshell, Miami Beach

7:00 PM – Screening of Sidney and Magal, the Man and the Artist, by Joana Mariani

 

Sept 11 – Regal South Beach, Miami Beach

7:00 PM – Love Spell, by Caroline Okoshi Fioratti

9:00 PM – Silence of the Rain, by Daniel Filho

 

Sept 12 – Regal South Beach, Miami Beach

7:00 PM – Valentina, by Cássio Pereira dos Santos

9:00 PM – Jaguar Man, by Vinicius Reis

 

Sept 14 – Florida International University, Miami – free admission

5:00 PM – The Mother of All Struggles, by Susanna Lira

 

Sept 18 – SoundScape Park New World Center, Miami Beach – free admission

8:30 PM – Neojiba – Music That Change Lives, by Sergio Machado and George W. Torres

 

Sept 5 to 17 – Online Screenings – www.inff.online 

(Available in the US. More information and film material at the following link –https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HE1P8Q9L12TeCEipxnbFnTdoX14i0NYK)

 

Competitive Screening – Fiction:

Film material: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11OWdjmQVm7-PpU7IJvYK6AGud7ZEBJ4V

  • Any Given Day, by Pedro Von Krüger
  • The Fall, by Diego Rocha
  • Coach? Really?, by Marcelo Antunez
  • Lane 4, by Emiliano Cunha
  • Sertania, by Geraldo Sarno
  • Coral, by Marcelo Brennand
  • King Kong in Asunción, by Camilo Cavalcante
  • Madalena, by Madiano Marcheti
  • A Day with Jerusa, by Viviane Ferreira
  • The Cemetery of Lost Souls, by Rodrigo Aragão
  • Remains of a man, by Ana Johamm
  • Up Close, She Ain’t Normal, by Cininha de Paula

Competitive Screening – Documentary:

Film material: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1DdjBhCUhBfXtKteUpbk1itcSXn3v_YQ2

  • Extermination, by Mirela Kruel
  • Searching for Makunaíma, by Rodrigo Séllos
  • Ziraldo, Lifelong work of art crying for help, by Guga Dannemann
  • Alvorada Palace, by Ana Muylaerte e Lô Politi
  • Chico Mario – A Melody of Freedom, by Silvio Tendler
  • Our Flag Will Never be red, by Pablo Guelli
  • Desire Machine, by Lucas Weglinski and Joaquim Castro
  • The Woman with Her Own Light, by Sinai Sganzerla
  • Ana. Untitled, by Lúcia Murat
  • Dorival Caymmi – The Sounds of Life, by Daniela Broitman
  • Pedra de Guaratiba, A Lost Paradise, by Luiz Eduardo Ozório
  • Amazon Mirror, by Fernando Segtowick
  • Glauber, Claro, de César Meneghetti

Competitive Screening – Shorts:

Film material: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1SCB9ruED8EGMR240eBFOg1xAzmWjaJ91 

  • 111+, by Ivaldo Correia
  • Adelaide, There’s No Second Chance for Mistakes Here, by Anna Zêpa
  • Antígona Pajubá, by Fabrício Boliveira
  • As Simple As That, by Luciana Bitencourt
  • Between, by Ana Carolina Marinho and Bárbara Santos
  • Eter Godzilla, by André Alves Pinto
  • Gado Marcado, by Estevan Muniz
  • Isabela, by Diego Lopes and Claudio Bitencourt
  • It Will Get Better, by Pedro Fiuza
  • João Bosco and Aldir Blanc – That’s Partnership!, by Pedro Pontes
  • Lavender, by Sabrina Fidalgo
  • Learning to Ride, by Luísa Parnes
  • On The Umbrella To Be Resistance, by Vini Poffo
  • Stories of a City, by Felipe Nepomuceno
  • Stunned, I Remain Alert by Henrique Amud e Lucas H. Rossi dos Santos
  • The Ballad of the Gracious Lady, by Hsu Chien
  • The Hole, by Zeudi Souza
  • The List, by Luciana Oliveira
  • The Survivor, by Silvia Rocha Campos
  • Windows From Here, by Luciano Vidigal and Arthur Sherman
  • Windows to the World – AM to PM, by Bia Oliveira
  • Zero, by Sacha Bali

* Co-production Brazil-US

 

About Inffinito Brazilian Film Festival

A pioneer in the promotion and dissemination of Brazilian cinema in the international market, the Inffinito Brazilian Film Festival held, over the last decades, events, exhibitions, and film festivals in cities such as Miami, New York, London, Vancouver, Rome, Milan, Frascati, Madrid, Barcelona, Montevideo, Buenos Aires, Canudos and Bogotá. In 87 editions of the festivals, the circuit has more than 1200 films shown to an audience of more than 2 million people, thus creating a strong relationship with the consumer of the Brazilian audiovisual product abroad. Inffinito’s pioneering spirit is also reflected in the digital world, with the creation of the first online platform for Brazilian cinema: www.inff.online, launched in 2020.

SPONSORS: with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, City of Miami Beach – CAC, Titanio Films and Garcia Family Foundation. 

OFFICIAL AIRLINE: American Airlines

INFFINITO AMBASSADORS: Laura Fernandes Liliana Kawase and Renata Garcia.

SUPPORTED BY: City Parks Foundation & SummerStage, Regal Cinemas, Fogo de Chão, and ATC Cargo.

 

MEDIA SUPPORTERS:  AcheiUSA Newspaper, Acontece Magazine, Radio Florida Brazil, Culture Owl, and Canal Brasil.

 

FRIENDS OF THE FESTIVAL: Brazilian General Consulate in Miami, Brazilian General Consulate in New York, Florida International University, BACC – Brazilian American Chamber of Commerce of Florida and New York, BRATECC – Brazil Texas Chamber of Commerce, and Centro Cultural Brazil USA.

 

AN EVENT BY: INFFINITO

 

 

 

 

Inffinito Film Festival anuncia os filmes selecionados

25ª edição do maior e mais importante festival de cinema brasileiro realizado no exterior exibirá, em formato híbrido, 56 filmes, de 4 a 18 de setembro

 

O Inffinito Film Festival, maior e mais importante festival de cinema brasileiro realizado no exterior, acaba de anunciar a seleção de filmes para as mostras competitivas de sua 25ª edição, confirmada para o mês que vem, de 4 a 18 de setembro. Serão exibidos nos Estados Unidos, em formato híbrido, ao todo 55 produções (lista abaixo) – este ano, pela primeira vez, a seleção conta com três coproduções Brasil-Estados Unidos: um longa e três curtas-metragens. De Porto Rico ao Alasca, os filmes serão exibidos através da www.inff.online – primeira plataforma internacional de streaming dedicada exclusivamente ao audiovisual brasileiro, lançada pela Inffinito no ano passado. Além das mostras online, com o avanço da vacinação e a flexibilização das regras de isolamento social nos Estados Unidos, quem estiver em Nova York e Miami poderá assistir presencialmente a exibições ao ar livre e shows.

 

Em Nova York, o público poderá assistir ao show do Dom Salvador Samba Jazz Sextet, no SummerStage do Central Park, na noite de abertura do festival, 04 de setembro, a partir das 20h30 – em colaboração com a City Parks Foundation. Dom Salvador, nome artístico de Salvador da Silva Filho, é um instrumentista, arranjador e compositor brasileiro que mora em NY desde 1973, onde toca piano no restaurante River Cafe e alterna seu trabalho com shows e gravações ocasionais. Há quem o considere responsável por mudar os rumos da música brasileira, por ter sido o músico escolhido para dar cara soul à música de Roberto Carlos, nos anos 1970. Isso porque Dom Salvador conseguia fazer o que nenhum pianistas brasileiro tinha conseguido até então: unir beleza, ritmo e sonoridades análogas às dos músicos negros americanos. Sua história, pouco conhecida do grande público brasileiro, é contada no documentário “Dom Salvador & Abolição”, de Artur Ratton e Lilka Hara, que será exibido, na mostra presencial, pouco antes na mesma noite, às 19h, também no Central Park.

 

PRÊMIOS E JÚRI – Os filmes das mostras competitivas concorrem ao troféu Lente de Cristal nas categorias Melhor Filme, Melhor Diretor, Melhor Roteiro, Melhor Fotografia, Melhor Ator e Melhor Atriz. O Melhor Documentário tem uma premiação à parte. Presidido pela atriz Betty Faria, o júri de filmes de ficção é composto pela atriz Camila Morgado; o roteirista de cinema e artista plástico Luiz Dolino; Lorenna Montenegro, crítica de cinema, roteirista, curadora, jornalista cultural e produtora de conteúdo; John Maass, cineasta e advogado. Para a mostra competitiva de documentários, os jurados são a fotógrafa Maritza Caneca; o cineasta e ator Luciano Vidigal; Flavia Azeredo, professora de linguística, cultura e cinema; e Bianca De Felipes, produtora e distribuidora de filmes e séries. Os prêmios do voto popular são escolhidos pelo público nas categorias Melhor Filme de Ficção, Melhor Documentário e Melhor Curta-Metragem.

 

HOMENAGEM NO CANAL BRASIL – No Brasil, além de algumas das mostras online, o público poderá assistir a uma seleção especial na TV. Como parte da celebração dos 25 anos do Inffinito Film Festival, o Canal Brasil exibirá no horário nobre (aos sábados e domingos, entre os dias 04 e 26/09, às 22h) a produções emblemáticas premiadas no festival ao longo de sua trajetória. A seleção inclui os títulos: O Quatrilho (dia 04/09), Estômago (dia 05/09), O Beijo no Asfalto (2018) (dia 11/09), João, O Maestro (dia 12/09), Raul – O Início, O Fim e O Meio (dia 18/09), O Paciente – O Caso Tancredo Neves (dia 19/09), Loki – Arnaldo Batista (dia 25/09) e Polaróides Urbanas (dia 26/09).

 

Confira abaixo a seleção de filmes do 25º Inffinito Film Festival:

 

Exibições presenciais | Nova York e Miami:

Fotos, trailers e cartazes dos filmes: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1IbN49P853p9ndh0iFRPsT9eU-aZLrXd4 

 

 

4 de setembro – SummerStage in Central Park, NY – entrada gratuita

6:00 PM – Exibição do curta metragem O Orfão, de Carolina Markowicz

7:00 PM – Exibição do documentário Dom Salvador & Abolição, de Artur Ratton e Lilka Hara

 

10 de setembro – North Beach Bandshell, Miami Beach

7:00 PM – Exibição do documentário Me Chama Que Eu Vou, de Joana Mariani

 

11 de setembro – Regal South Beach, Miami Beach

7:00 PM – Exibição do longa metragem Amarração do Amor, de Caroline Okoshi Fioratti

9:00 PM – Exibição do longa metragem Silêncio da Chuva, de Daniel Filho

 

12 de setembro – Regal South Beach, Miami Beach

7:00 PM – Exibição do longa metragem Valentina, de Cássio Pereira dos Santos

9:00 PM – Exibição do longa metragem Homem Onça, de Vinicius Reis

 

14 de setembro – Florida International University, Miami – entrada gratuita

5:00 PM – A Mãe De Todas As Lutas, de Susanna Lira

 

18 de setembro – SoundScape Park New World Center, Miami Beach – entrada gratuita

8:30 PM – Exibição do longa metragem Neojiba – Música Que Transforma, de Sergio Machado e George Walker Torres.

 

5 a 17 de setembro – Exibições de filmes em competição na plataforma www.inff.online

 

(Disponíveis somente para EUA. Para mais informações e materiais/fotos dos filmes –https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HE1P8Q9L12TeCEipxnbFnTdoX14i0NYK)

 

 

Mostra competitiva de ficção:

Fotos, trailers e cartazes dos filmes: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11OWdjmQVm7-PpU7IJvYK6AGud7ZEBJ4V

  • A Mesma Parte de um Homem, de Ana Johamm
  • A Queda, de Diego Rocha
  • Cemitério das Almas Perdidas, de Rodrigo Aragão
  • Curral, de Marcelo Brennand
  • De Perto Ela Não É Normal, de Cininha de Paula
  • King Kong en Assuncíon, de Camilo Cavalcante
  • Madalena, de Madiano Marcheti
  • O Palestrante, de Marcelo Antunez
  • Raia 4, de Emiliano Cunha
  • Sertânia, de Geraldo Sarno
  • Um Dia com Jeruza, de Viviane Ferreira
  • Um Dia Qualquer, de Pedro Von Krüger

 

Mostra competitiva de documentário:

Fotos, trailers e cartazes dos filmes: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1DdjBhCUhBfXtKteUpbk1itcSXn3v_YQ2 

  • A Mulher da Luz Própria, de Sinai Sganzerla
  • A Nossa Bandeira Jamais Será Vermelha, de Pablo Guelli
  • Alvorada, de Ana Muylaerte e Lô Politi
  • Ana. Sem Título, de Lúcia Murat
  • Chico Mario – A Melodia da Liberdade, de Silvio Tendler
  • Doidos de Pedra- O Paraiso Ameaçado, de Luiz Eduardo Ozório
  • Dorival Caymmi – Um Homem de Afetos, de Daniela Broitman
  • Extermínio, de Mirela Kruel
  • Glauber, Claro, de César Meneghetti
  • Máquinas de Desejo, de Lucas Weglinski e Joaquim Castro
  • Por Onde Anda Makunaima, de Rodrigo Séllos
  • Reflexo do Lago, de Fernando Segtowick
  • Ziraldo, Uma Obra que Pede Socorro, de Guga Dannemann

 

Mostra de curtas-metragens:

Fotos, trailers e cartazes dos filmes: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1SCB9ruED8EGMR240eBFOg1xAzmWjaJ91 

  • 111+, de Ivaldo Correia
  • A Balada da Nobre Senhora, de Hsu Chien
  • A Lista, de Luciana de Oliveira
  • Adelaide Aqui não Há Segunda Vez para o Erro, de Anna Zêpa
  • Alfazema, de Sabrina Fidalgo
  • Antígona Pajubá, de Fabrício Boliveira
  • Atordoado, Eu Permaneço Atento, de Henrique Amud e Lucas H. Rossi dos Santos
  • Debaixo do Guarda-Chuva para Ser Resistência, de Vini Poffo
  • Entre, de Ana Carolina Marinho e Bárbara Santos
  • Éter Godzilla, de André Alves Pinto
  • Gado Marcado, de Estevan Muniz
  • Histórias de uma Cidade, de Felipe Nepomuceno
  • Isabela, de Diego Lopes e Claudio Bitencourt
  • Janelas Daqui, de Luciano Vidigal e Arthur Sherman
  • Janelas Pelo Mundo*, de Bia Oliveira
  • João Bosco e Aldir Blanc – Parceria É Isso Aí!, de Pedro Pontes
  • Nina Aprendendo a Andar de Bicicleta*, de Luísa Parnes
  • O Buraco, de Zeudi Souza
  • O Sobrevivente, de Silvia Rocha Campos
  • Simples Assim*, de Luciana Bittencourt
  • Vai Melhorar, de Pedro Fiuza
  • Zero, de Sacha Bali

* Coproduções Brasil-Estados Unidos.

 

Sobre o Inffinito Brazilian Film Festival

Pioneiro na promoção e difusão do cinema brasileiro no mercado internacional, o Inffinito Film Festival realizou, ao longo das últimas décadas, eventos, mostras e festivais de cinema em cidades como Miami, Nova York, Londres, Vancouver, Roma, Milão, Frascati, Madri, Barcelona, Montevidéu, Buenos Aires, Canudos e Bogotá. Em 87 edições dos festivais, o circuito soma mais de 1200 filmes exibidos para um público de mais de 2 milhões de pessoas, criando assim uma forte relação com o consumidor do produto audiovisual brasileiro no exterior. O pioneirismo da Inffinito também se espelha no mundo digital, com a criação da primeira plataforma online de cinema brasileiro: www.inff.online, lançada em 2020.

Patrocínio: Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, City of Miami Beach – CAC, Garcia Family Foundation e Titanio Films.

Cia Aérea Oficial: American Airlines

 

Embaixadoras Inffinito: Laura Fernandes, Liliana Kawase e Renata Garcia.

 

Apoio: City Parks Foundation & SummerStage, Regal Cinemas, Fogo de Chão e ATC Cargo.

 

Apoio de Midia: AcheiUSA Newspaper, Acontece Magazine, Radio Florida Brazil, Culture Owl e Canal Brasil.

 

Amigos do Festival: Brazilian General Consulate in Miami, Brazilian General Consulate in New York, Florida International University, BACC – Brazilian American Chamber of Commerce of Florida and New York, BRATECC – Brazil Texas Chamber of Commerce e Centro Cultural Brazil USA.

 

 

Realização e produção: Inffinito

Brazil: Brazilian Data Protection Law (LGPD) Administrative Sanctions Came Into Force

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On August 1, 2021, the administrative sanctions provided for the Brazilian Data Protection Law (LGPD) – Law No. 13.709/2018 (the “Law”) came into force and will be applied by the Brazilian Data Protection Authority (ANPD).

LGPD provides that data processing agents (controller and processor) who violate the rules provided for in the Law will be subject to:

 

By Cristiane Manzueto and Eduardo Maccari Telles via Mondaq

 

Read full article here

Brazil’s Rio Grande do Norte signs MoU to expand renewables portfolio

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In Brazil, the state government of Rio Grande do Norte and Enterprize Energy have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will enable the region to expand its portfolio of renewables.

Enterprise Energy has been tasked with identifying opportunities for the development of green hydrogen, offshore wind, and green ammonia in the state. To do so, the company will engage with local businesses, academic institutions, and local and federal authorities on infrastructure development and operation.

 

Via Power Engineering International

 

Read full article here

Brazil announces national data protection council

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The Brazilian government has announced the members of the National Council for the Protection of Personal Data and Privacy (CNPD) as part of the process of implementation of the country’s data protection rules.

Announced on Monday (9) through a presidential decree, the advisory board is part of the implementation of Brazil’s General Data Protection Law (LGPD). The council is tasked with the formulation of guidelines for the application of the data protection rules, including the provision of subsidies for the creation of the national data protection and privacy policy.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

Read full article here

Energy storage with recycled batteries from Brazil

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Brazil-based Energy Source is betting on two new business models to boost its revenue in 2021: storage services with reused batteries and the recycling of batteries that have already completed their second life cycles, including the recovery of metals such as cobalt.

The company expects to conclude a financing round by October that will support its “battery-as-a-service” (BaaS) model. The expectation is to raise BRL 12 million ($2.3 million) from existing partners and investors.

 

By Livia Neves via PV Magazine

 

Read full article here

EXCLUSIVE Great Wall Motor to shift some India investment to Brazil after approval delays -sources

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NEW DELHI/BEIJING, Aug 11 (Reuters) – Great Wall Motor (601633.SS) has decided to re-allocate to Brazil a portion of its $1-billion investment in India, as the Chinese automaker has been unnerved by a year-long delay in winning government approvals, three sources told Reuters.

The re-allocation, which could range up to $300 million, comes as the sources said the maker of popular sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) and pick-ups was close to acquiring a former Daimler (DAIGn.DE) plant in Brazil to build cars.

By Aditi Shah and Yilei Sun via Reuters

Read full article here

UPDATE 1-Brazil’s BTG Pactual Q2 profit jumps 74%

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SAO PAULO, Aug 10 (Reuters) – Brazilian lender Banco BTG Pactual SA reported on Tuesday a 74% rise in second-quarter recurring net income, to 1.719 billion reais ($328.48 million), amid booming capital markets activity in the country.

BTG’s revenue came in at 3.771 billion reais, a 52% jump from a year earlier, mainly driven by lending, investment banking and asset management fees.

 

By Carolina Mandl via Reuters

 

Read full article here

Brazil to hold port auctions this week

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The Agência Nacional de Transportes Aquaviários (ANTAQ), Brazil’s national agency for waterway transportation, will hold an auction to lease areas in the ports of Amapá, Ceará and Salvador on Friday.

At the Port of Santana, an area measuring just over 3,185 square metres will be auctioned for a term of 25 years. The area is intended for the movement of bulk vegetable solids, especially soy bran.

 

By Kim Biggar via Splash247.com

 

Read full article here

Brazil connects 205 MW of wind farms in July

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August 6 (Renewables Now) – Brazil has given the go-ahead to 205.2 MW of wind farms to commence operations in July 2021, power sector regulator Aneel announced on Thursday.

In all, the country has connected 467.06 MW of new capacity last month, with wind parks accounting for 43.9% of that. Since the beginning of the year, Aneel has okayed some 2,282.93 MW of new plants to start operations.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

Read full article here

Brazil’s Petrobras beats estimates on strong natgas sales, crude prices

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 4 (Reuters) – Brazil’s Petrobras beat second quarter profit estimates on Wednesday, as higher Brent prices, strong natural gas sales and relatively controlled expenses boosted the company’s bottom line.

In an evening securities filing, Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PETR4.SA), as the company is formally known, reported a quarterly net income of 42.855 billion reais ($8.29 billion), up from a loss in the same period last year and well above the Refinitiv consensus estimate of 30.7 billion reais.

By Gram Slattery and Marta Nogueira via Reuters

Read full article here

Brazil’s Real Jumps on Pledge of Even More Aggressive Rate Hikes

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Brazil’s real led gains among emerging market currencies after the central bank delivered its most aggressive interest rate increase in nearly two decades and promised to bring back a restrictive monetary policy to tame above-target inflation.

By Maria Eloisa Capurro and Maria Elena Vizcaino via Bloomberg

Brazil retailers hunt for M&A deals to compete for e-commerce dominance

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August 4 (Reuters) – In March last year, Oziel da Silva Santos needed a new TV but with stores closed due to COVID-19 restrictions in Brazil’s northern city of Belem, the 50-year old was clueless about how to get one. He followed a link on the website of furniture retailer Via Varejo (VVAR3.SA) and called a store manager.

On the other end of the line was Railton Sampaio, a manager at the city’s largest Via Varejo. Sampaio helped him buy the TV online, sending the link for payment through the commonly used messaging app WhatsApp.

By Tatiana Bautzer via Reuters

Read full article here

Amazon launches free one-day delivery in Brazil amid fierce competition

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – E-commerce giant Amazon.com Inc started to offer its Brazilian Prime subscribers free one-day delivery in 50 cities on Wednesday, amid fierce market competition in Latin America’s largest economy.

The move comes as rivals such as MercadoLibre and Magazine Luiza are investing heavily to ramp up delivery speeds and gain clients.

 

By Jimin Kang via KFGO

 

Read full article here

Brazil Express Delivery Market Report 2021-2025 – Adoption of New Technologies in Express Delivery Services and FTAs Spurring Market Growth – ResearchAndMarkets.com

Posted on | Updated on

DUBLIN, August 03, 2021–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The “Express Delivery Market in Brazil 2021-2025” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

The express delivery market in Brazil is poised to grow by $ 1.49 billion during 2021-2025, progressing at a CAGR of almost 4%

 

Via Yahoo Finance

 

Read full article here

Neoenergia switches on 35 MW of wind capacity in Brazil

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August 2 (Renewables Now) – Brazilian utility company Neoenergia SA (BVMF:NEOE3) has started the commercial operation of a 34.65-MW portion of the 471.25-MW Chafariz wind complex, the firm announced last week.

With 10 turbines up and running already, a portion of the larger wind farm has been delivered 17 months before the contract signed for supplies to the regulated market becomes effective.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

Read full article here

The Mexican startup Kavak enters Brazil with an investment of 500 million dollars

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The Mexican unicorn Kavak announced the start of its operations in Brazil with an investment of more than 500 million dollars.

“Our business model is growing fast, due to our ability to formalize the pre-owned car market through data technology and artificial intelligence, which allows us to streamline the car buying and selling process; reduce reconditioning time and evaluate the different financing options, in addition to eradicating fraud risks by eliminating dealing with third parties and granting guarantees in a sector that registers various types of crimes due to informality in transactions ”, stated Carlos García Ottati , CEO of the company for the sale and purchase of pre-owned cars.

 

Via Entrepreneur

 

Read full article here

Joshua Kushner’s Thrive Capital leads $20M investment in Brazilian healthcare startup Pipo Saude

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Pipo Saude, a startup that developed a platform that sells and manages healthcare benefits for Brazilian companies, has raised $20 million in a Series A round of funding.

Joshua Kushner’s Thrive Capital led the round, marking the first time the New York-based venture firm has led an investment in a Brazilian startup. (Although, notably, Thrive has also put money in Nubank and Loft.)

 

By Mary Ann Azevedo via Tech Crunch

 

Read full article here

Brazil creates cyberattack response network

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Brazil has created a cyberattack response network aimed at promoting faster response to cyber threats and vulnerabilities through the coordination between federal government bodies.

Created through a presidential decree signed on July 16, the Federal Cyber Incident Management Network will encompass the Institutional Security Office of the presidency as well as all bodies and entities under the federal government administration. Public companies, mixed capital companies and their subsidiaries may become members of the network on a voluntary basis.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

Read full article here

Brazil expects grain production to grow 27%, meat to grow 24% over next 10 years

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In relation to what the country produces in this season of 2020/2021, the increase in production until 2030/2031 should be 71 million tons, an increase of 27.1%, at a growth rate of 2.4% per year. Soybeans, second crop corn and cotton should continue to drive growth.

The numbers are from the study Projections of Agribusiness, Brazil 2020/21 to 2030/31 , carried out by the Secretariat of Agricultural Policy, of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa), by the Secretariat of Intelligence and Strategic Relations, of the Brazilian Research Corporation Agriculture (Embrapa), and by the Department of Statistics, University of Brasília (UnB).

 

By Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply via The Pig Site

 

Read full article here

UPDATE 1-Brazil consumer confidence rises to 9-month high in July -FGV

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BRASILIA, July 26 (Reuters) – Consumer confidence in Brazil rose in July to a nine-month high, a survey indicated on Monday, a fourth consecutive increase fueled more by future expectations than sentiment around the current situation.

The Getulio Vargas Foundation’s (FGV) consumer confidence index rose to 82.2 points from 80.9 in June, reaching the highest since October last year, FGV said.
By Jamie McGeever via Reuters

Brazil: the number of commercial flights grows for third month consecutively

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In July, Brazilian airlines registered the third consecutive month of growth in the national air network, with an average of 1,624 daily departures, or the equivalent of 67.7% of the flight offer at the beginning of March 2020, in face of the severe impacts of the pandemic in the sector.

The growth compared to the 1,230 daily departures in June is of 16.4 percentage points. The data were collected by the Asociación Brasileña de Aerolíneas (ABEAR), with data from the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), and published in our partner media in Brazil, Aeroin.net.

 

By Edgardo Gimenez Mazó via Aviacionline

 

Read full article here

Algar Telecom launches digital point solutions in Brazil

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Brazilian telecommunications company Algar Telecom, a telecommunications and technology company belonging to the Algar Group, has just launched Controle de Ponto, an electronic timesheet digitalization solution, developed in partnership with Tangerino, a company specializing in workday management technology.

The solution was created for micro and small companies (MPE), a segment that lacks automation of the journey management, and has data stored in the cloud and an intuitive and agile interface.

 

By Shailaja Pai via Developing Telecoms

 

Read full article

Brazil Sees Slowdown in Covid Cases for The First Time in 8 Months

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For the first time in eight months, the rate of Covid cases in Brazil is decelerating. The country was in a flat or accelerated stage since November last year, but this situation has reversed with the advance of vaccination.

The conclusion comes from Folha‘s Covid acceleration monitor. The platform measures the variation of newly infected people in the last 30 days, based on a statistical model developed by USP researchers Renato Vicente and Rodrigo Veiga.

 

By Kiratiana Freelon via Folha de S. Paulo

 

Read full article here

Venture Capital Investment In Brazil Reaches $5.2 Billion During H1 2021

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Brazilian startups attracted record levels of investment as the ecosystem matures with international funds rushing to seize opportunities in the Latin American country, according to research.

During the first six months of 2021, a total of $5.2 billion was invested in startups based in Brazil, according to numbers released by open innovation network Distrito. By comparison, the total invested in the whole of 2020 – which was considered to be the best year on record for the ecosystem until recently – reached $3.5 billion.

 

By Angelica Mari via Forbes

 

Read full article here

Brazil agricultural retailer Agrogalaxy launches IPO

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SAO PAULO, July 19 (Reuters) – Brazil’s Agrogalaxy Participacoes launched an initial public offering (IPO) on Monday aiming to raise roughly 385 million reais ($75.27 million), a securities filing from the agricultural supplies retailer showed.

The company set its price range at between 13.75 reais and 16.50 reais. The final price will be set on July 22.

 

By Carolina Mandl via Yahoo Finance

 

Read full article here

Mattos Filho recognized in two important publications in the legal market

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We are very pleased to announce that Chambers & Partners, one of the international legal market’s most relevant institutions, has featured Mattos Filho in its Chambers Brazil 2021 rankings.

In the Industries & Sectors chapter we are ranked across the highest number of categories (12) with the highest number of recognized professionals (26) among all Brazilian law firms.

 

Read the full document here

Shell, Gerdau to develop 190-MW solar project in Brazil

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July 19 (Renewables Now) – The Brazilian unit of oil and gas major Royal Dutch Shell Plc (AMS:RDSA) has partnered up with local steel producer Gerdau SA (BVMF:GGBR4) to develop a 190-MW direct current (DC) solar project in Minas Gerais state.

The companies have signed an agreement establishing the guidelines for the implementation of a 50/50 joint venture (JV) in relation to the project.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

Read full article now

Vaccine Support Reaches 94% in Brazil

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Despite President Jair Bolsonaro’s attacks on immunization against Covid-19, support for vaccines against the disease continues to grow in Brazil and reached a record level, 94% of the population, according to Datafolha research.

Datafolha surveyed 2,074 people aged 16 and over in 146 cities across the country on July 7th and 8th. The margin of error is plus or minus two percentage points.

 

By Angela Pinho via Folha de S. Paulo

 

Read full article here

Relatório Social 2020 Machado Meyer

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Carta do CEO

O ano de 2020, tão atípico e difícil, reforçou a importância de sermos um escritório fundamentado em uma cultura e em valores sólidos. Acreditamos que esse foi um elemento fundamental para enfrentar o momento e possibilitou uma aproximação ainda maior de nossas pessoas e dos nossos clientes, ajudando a garantir a sustentabilidade do nosso negócio.
Em 48 anos, nunca havíamos vivenciado uma crise tão inesperada e desafiadora. A pandemia exigiu de nós uma reavaliação de antigos hábitos como forma de nos ajustarmos à nova realidade, direcionando também nossos esforços para continuar gerando impacto positivo para a sociedade.
Compartilhamos nas próximas páginas deste relatório as ações realizadas pela nossa área de Responsabilidade Social Corporativa (RSC) para que 2020 fosse transformador para muitas pessoas, sendo um dos destaques do ano, o compromisso do escritório com o Pacto Global. Por meio dele, reforçamos nosso apoio contínuo à organização e iniciamos formalmente nosso
compromisso com a iniciativa e seus princípios.
Esperamos que todos os cenários sigam melhorando de agora em diante e que possamos dar continuidade à nossa trajetória com muita saúde, diversidade, ética e orgulho.

Tito Andrade
Sócio-Administrador

 

Leia o Relatório Completo

Brazil Likely to Remain World Leader in Soybean Production

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Brazil is projected to retain its position as the largest soybean producer over the next decade. In the 2020/21 season, Brazil produced a record of 4,994 million bushels of soybeans, up 8.9% from last season’s record crop of 4,587 million bushels, according to data from the National Supply Company (Conab). The area harvested this season is also at a record of 95.16 million acres, up 4.2% from last season. The growth Brazilian acres are expected to be continue higher than the United States and Argentina, two of the other major producers of soybeans. In addition, recent advances in logistics, such as on the railroad called the North-South, should create opportunities to improve competitiveness in the transportation sector.

 

By Joana Colussi and Gary Schnitkey via Farmaco Daily

 

Read full article here

Neoenergia energises transmission line for 69-MW wind park in Brazil

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July 13 (Renewables Now) – Brazilian utility company Neoenergia SA (BVMF:NEOE3) has started the commercial operation of a 500-kV transmission line in Brazil that will enable the evacuation of electricity from a 69.3-MW portion of the 471-MW Chafariz wind complex.

With 20 wind turbines, the 69.3-MW portion is currently in its testing phase, Neoenergia announced on Monday.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

Read full article here

Brazilian HR Startup Flash Raises $22M in a Tiger Global-Led Series B Round of Funding

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Flash, a startup that has developed a flexible benefits platform for Brazilian companies and employees, has raised $22 million in a Series B round of funding led by Tiger Global Management.

Monashees (which led Flash’s Series A), Global Founders Capital (who backed Flash’s seed round), Citius and Kauffman Fellows also participated in the financing.

 

By Mary Ann Azevedo via TechCrunch

 

Read full article here

Spain’s Solatio putting up 810-MWp solar complex in Brazil

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July 12 (Renewables Now) – The Brazilian government officials and representatives from Spanish PV sector player Solatio Energia on Friday inaugurated a solar power complex that will add 810 MWp once fully up and running.

Solatio, a company with more than a decade-long presence in Brazil, is installing the BRL-3-billion (USD 570.3m/EUR 480.6m) three solar-farm project in the state of Pernambuco.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

Read full article here

Argentina-Brazil soybean meal basis spread widens to record

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he Argentina-Brazil FOB soybean meal basis spread widened to a record as weakening export demand and a shallow Parana River put pressure on Argentina’s premiums for nearby loadings.

The spread reached $20/st July 6-7, with the basis for August loading in Argentina’s Up River cargo market assessed at parity July 6 and at plus $1/st July 7 to the correspondent Chicago Board of Trade contract. In Brazil’s Paranagua paper market, the basis for the same month was assessed at plus $20/st July 6 and plus $21/st July 7, S&P Global Platts data showed.

 

By Jose Roberto Gomes via S&P Global Platts

 

Read full article here

Huge offshore wind farm to power green hydrogen in Brazil

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French renewable energy company Qair has signed an initial deal to build an offshore wind farm to support green hydrogen production in the northern Brazilian state of Ceará, the state government has announced.

Under the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed this week with state governor Camilo Santana, the company’s Brazilian subsidiary would build the 1,216MW Dragao do Mar wind development on the state’s continental shelf. Electricity from the turbines would supply an electrolysis plant with the capacity to produce 296,000 tonnes a year of green hydrogen to be located at the Pecém Port Complex in Ceará.

 

By Tom Azzopardi via Wind Power Monthly

 

Read full article here

Brazil authorizes Butanvac vaccine for volunteers in clinical trial

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BRASILIA, July 7 (Reuters) – Brazilian health regulator Anvisa on Wednesday gave the go-ahead for the Butanvac COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sao Paulo’s Butantan Institute biomedical center to be used on volunteers in clinical trials.

Anvisa in a statement said the vaccine will be applied in two doses, 28 days apart. Phase I of Butanvac’s clinical trial will involve 400 volunteers, and the first two phases are expected to involve 6,000 volunteers in total.

By Jamie McGeever via Reuters

Read full article here

Brazil Retail Sales Rose in May on Easing of Social Distancing Measures

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SAO PAULO–Brazil retail sales rose in May, the second consecutive month of growth, as the gradual easing of social distancing measures in many parts of the country allowed consumers to get out and spend more.

Sales increased a seasonally adjusted 1.4% in the month and rose 16% from a year earlier, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, or IBGE said Wednesday. In April, sales climbed a revised 4.9% in the month and jumped a revised 23.7% from a year earlier.

 

By Jeffrey T. Lewis via  Market Watch

 

Read full article here

Anhydrous ethanol spot premium in Center-South Brazil trading at discount over term contracts

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The anhydrous ethanol spot premium over hydrous in Brazil’s Center-South traded at 13%, S&P Global Platts’ assessment showed July 6, down from the 14% average anhydrous premium in term contracts for the Center-South 2021-22 crop.

Platts considered hydrous and anhydrous free of taxes to calculate the spot premium.

 

By Nicolle Monteiro de Castro via S&P Platts

 

Read full article here

Meet The Entrepreneurs Ushering Black Women Into UX Careers In Brazil

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As discussions over gender and racial inequality in the technology sector gather pace in Brazil, a group of entrepreneurs is working to address these issues by training black women in careers in user experience (UX) and connecting them with employers.

UX Para Minas Pretas (UXMP), which in Portuguese translates to “UX For Black Girls” was created by Karen Santos in 2019. The São Paulo-based company aims to provide technical and professional training to black women, as well as the community support required to develop a career in the field of UX, which focuses on how a user interacts with and experiences an product, system or service online.

 

By Angelica Mari via Forbes

 

Read full article here

Mercado Bitcoin Becomes Brazil’s First Crypto Unicorn With Softbank Round

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After raising US$ 200 million from Softbank Latin America Fund, Brazilian cryptocurrency exchange Mercado Bitcoin became the country’s latest unicorn, the name given to technology companies worth more than US$ 1 billion.

With a US$ 2.1 billion valuation, the company is also the first crypto unicorn in Brazil. With the transaction, announced on Thursday (1), 2TM Group, the holding controlling Mercado Bitcoin, became the eighth most valuable unicorn in Latin America, the company noted, based on Crunchbase data.
By Angelica Mari via Forbes

Mattos Fillho is recognized in two of the legal market’s most renowned publications

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Mattos Filho’s performance has been highlighted in two of the international legal market’s most renowned publications this week.

In IJGlobal 2020, we featured in the highest number of recognized cases among all Brazilian law firms in the Mining Latin America, LNG-to-power Latin America and Water Latin America categories. IJGlobal 2020 recognizes the most relevant and complex project financing transactions carried out in the Americas.

Meanwhile, the IFLR 1000 – which classifies firms with outstanding performance in corporate and financial transactions – ranked Mattos Filho as a Tier 1 firm in the Capital Markets Equity, Capital Markets Debt and Investment Funds categories.

Such recognition reinforces the success of our collaborative and multidisciplinary work model, always aiming to offer clients strategic and innovative solutions.

 

Mattos Filho

Express Delivery Market in Brazil in Air Freight & Logistics Industry to grow by USD 1.49 billion | Technavio

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The COVID-19 pandemic continues to transform the growth of various industries, however, the immediate impact of the outbreak is varied. COVID-19 will have at Par impact on the express delivery market in brazil. As per Technavio’s pandemic-focused market research, market growth is likely to increase in 2021 as compared to 2020.

The express delivery market in Brazil in the air freight & logistics industry is expected to grow by USD 1.49 billion, progressing at a CAGR of almost 4% during 2021-2025, as per the new report from Technavio. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, the latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

 

By Jesse Maida via Yahoo Finance

 

Read full article here

Brazil’s Oil Boom Continues Unabated

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Latin America’s largest oil producer Brazil is one of the worst affected countries globally by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the World Health Organization, Brazil is the third ranked country by volume of cases and second by deaths. There were fears earlier this year that the rapid spread of the virus would derail Brazil’s offshore oil boom, particularly with a surge in cases among energy sector workers. By March 2021 petroleum and natural gas production was in decline with total hydrocarbon output falling by nearly 3% year over year to an average of 3.6 million barrels of oil equivalent per day. Such was the severity of the pandemic and sharp increase in cases Brazil’s hydrocarbon production was expected to fall further. Nevertheless, by April operations began to recover and the country’s economically critical oil output was rising.

 

By Matthew Smith via Yahoo Finance

 

Read full article here

Etsy To Acquire Brazilian Crafts Marketplace Elo7

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US crafts marketplace Etsy announced today (28) that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire its Brazilian equivalent Elo7 as part of an international expansion plan.

Purchased for $217 million, Elo7 is one largest e-commerce sites in Brazil, with more than 56.000 sellers, 1.9 million users and more than 8 million items for sale including handmade and custom-made goods as well as craft supplies. Subject to regulatory approvals, the deal should be concluded in the next quarter.
By Angelica Mari via Forbes

New solar systems factory to be built in Brazil’s Ceara state

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June 28 (Renewables Now) – Brazilian solar equipment company Renovigi Energia Solar will build a factory in Ceara state for the production of photovoltaic (PV) systems, the local government announced on Friday.

Under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by governor Camilo Santana, the company will invest BRL 12.4 million (USD 2.5m/EUR 2.1m) to construct the production facility in the Pecem Industrial and Port Complex. The site will also accommodate a distribution centre.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Brazil travel co CVC to issue up to $96 mln in new shares

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RIO DE JANEIRO, June 22 (Reuters) – The board of Brazilian travel company CVC Operadora e Agencia de Viagens SA has approved an offering of up to 480 million reais ($95.8 million) in new shares, the firm said on Tuesday.

In a securities filing, CVC said the company would offer a minimum of roughly 20.1 million shares and a maximum of roughly 25.1 million shares, at a price of 19.12 reais per share.

 

By Gram Slattery via Yahoo Finance

 

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Brazil’s Congress approves bill to privatize Eletrobras

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The lower house of the Brazilian Congress passed legislation on Monday paving the way for the selling off of the state’s majority shares in South America’s largest energy company Eletrobras.

With the sale of its 61% stake in the utility giant, formally known as Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras SA, the Brazilian government is hoping to raise around 25 billion reais ($5 billion, €4.2 billion).

 

Via DW

 

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Brazil hopes to expand fresh fruit exports to China

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RIO DE JANEIRO, June 21 (Xinhua) — Brazil hopes to expand its fresh fruit exports to China by adding several of its leading products, Brazilian Agriculture Minister Tereza Cristina said on Monday.

In an interview with the foreign press, Cristina said Brazil is the third-largest fruit producer in the world, but a low-ranked exporter. The country only export melon to China.

 

Via Xinhua News

 

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6 Photographers That Made Photos of Brazil Show Its Beautiful Diversity

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Brazil is certainly a country of great interest. For many, it’s a beautiful holiday destination. But for millions of natives, it’s a difficult place to exist. Because of its diversity, many photographers have made photos of Brazil. Some show its glory, while others show its reality. In this piece, we look back at the work we’ve featured that explores the truth of the largest country in Latin America.

 

By Dan Ginn via Yahoo Finance

 

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Brazil’s banking system braces for new ESG regulation

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In 2014, the state of São Paulo, Brazil’s most populous region and one of Latin America’s most heavily urbanized areas, experienced a historic drought for more than two years.

“We had to take short showers,” said Christopher Wells, Banco Santander SA’s global head of environmental and social risk. “It makes you think about life in a very different way.”

 

By David Feliba via S&P Global Market Intelligence

 

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Brazil regulation seen allowing more U.S. GMO crop imports

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazil’s government published a new regulation on Thursday to align rules for genetically modified (GMO) crops with global standards, a move the agriculture lobby says will make it easier to import more GMO soy and corn from the United States.

Under the new rules, published by Brazilian biosecurity regulator CTNBio in the official government gazette, crops with different genetic modifications can be transported in the same ship, provided each modification is already approved, industry group CropLife said.

 

By Roberto Samora via Reuters

 

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Brazil Tests the World’s First Facial Recognition Shuttle Service

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SÃO PAULO, Jun 16, 2021–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Project Embarque + Seguro 100% Digital Boarding System, using the Brazilian government’s facial recognition, arrives this Tuesday (June 15) at the Congonhas Airport (SP). For the first time in the world, passengers on the air shuttle service between the capitals of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro will participate in the simultaneous testing of this end-to-end technology without the need to present neither a boarding pass nor an identification document. The Project of the Ministry of Infrastructure, developed in partnership with Serpro and the Special Secretariat of Debureaucratization, Management and Digital Government of the Ministry of Economy, has already been tested at the airports of Florianópolis (SC), Salvador (BA), Santos Dumont (RJ) and Belo Horizonte (Confins).

 

Via Yahoo Finance

 

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Brazil reaches 19 GW of installed wind power capacity

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A decade ago, the segment still had just over 1.5 GW of installed capacity and today it is the second largest, only behind hydroelectric generation.
Wind generation in Brazil reached the mark of 19 GW of installed capacity, which represents 10% of the national electricity matrix. According to data presented by the Brazilian Wind Energy Association (Abeeólica), there are 726 wind farms and more than 8,500 wind turbines in operation. A decade ago, the segment still had just over 1.5 GW of capacity and today it is the second largest, only behind hydroelectric generation.

 

Via EVWind

 

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Advent invests $430 mln in Brazil payments firm Ebanx before IPO

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SAO PAULO, June 15 (Reuters) – Funds managed by Advent International are investing $430 million in the Brazilian payments company Ebanx, financing its growth in Latin America ahead of an initial public offering planned for the coming months, Ebanx Chief Executive said on Tuesday.

CEO and co-founder Joao Del Valle said the company plans to use the proceeds from acquisitions to further expand operations in countries such as Mexico, Colombia and Argentina. Advent is also buying a stake from Ebanx’s existing investors.

 

By Carolina Mandl via Yahoo Finance

 

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Brazil’s Paraiba to become home to 1.6-GW solar project and PV factory

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June 14 (Renewables Now) – Brazilian energy company Rio Alto Energias Renovaveis SA will implement a 1,625-MW solar power complex in Paraiba state, governor Joao Azevedo announced on Friday.

Named Santa Luzia, the solar project will consist of 28 farms with an individual capacity of 58 MWp. Rio Alto estimates it will initially invest some BRL 4.1 billion (USD 801.5m/EUR 662m) in the scheme.

 

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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How simple steps led to a big leap for Brazil’s schools

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There may not be a simple secret to improving public schools but, if there is a formula, then the Brazilian city of Sobral might lay claim to it.

Located in the historically poorer north-east of the country, the municipality of 210,000 residents once had middling learning outcomes. An assessment of third-grade students (aged eight) there two decades ago found that two out of five could not read a simple word.

 

By Michael Pooler via Financial Times

 

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Brazil to study costal wind power potential

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June 11 (Renewables Now) – Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) will carry out a technical study that will measure the wind power potential of the coast between the states of Amapa and Rio Grande do Norte.

The announcement was made on Wednesday after a meeting between the MCTI minister, Marcos Pontes, and senator Davi Alcolumbre. In all, the government will invest BRL 5 million (USD 984,000/EUR 808,000) to conduct the study.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Brazil begins path toward power capacity market

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The Brazilian government will conduct its first power capacity auction in December, seeking companies willing to build generation capacity to begin serving demand in 2026.

The market is meant to handle the challenges of integrating intermittent power sources like wind and solar into the grid. But critics of the auction say its costs will be unfairly borne by consumers, and concerns are mounting that the plan will not add capacity soon enough to handle tightening supply in the short term.

 

By Flávia Pierry via Argus Media

 

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Brazil OK’s clinical tests for homegrown COVID vaccine Butanvac

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Brazil’s health regulator Anvisa on Wednesday authorized Phase 1 and 2 clinical tests to be carried out on volunteers for the Butanvac vaccine developed by Sao Paulo’s Butantan Institute biomedical center.

The tests for the two-shot vaccine were initially authorized for 400 volunteers, but will later involve an expected total of 6,000 volunteers aged 18 and over, Anvisa said.

Via Reuters

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Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Invests $500 Million In Brazilian Challenger Nubank

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Brazilian digital bank Nubank has announced today (8) that it has received a $500 million investment from Warren Buffett’s investment fund Berkshire Hathaway.

Berkshire Hathaway’s investment is an extension of the fintech’s $400 million Series G round announced in January. Buffett’s company also has StoneCo, a Brazil-based digital payments firm, among its tech investments in the region.

 

By Angelica Mari via Forbes

 

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Brazil to receive 3 million doses of J&J COVID vaccine – minister

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Brazil will receive a first batch of 3 million doses of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) vaccine against COVID-19 in the next few days, Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said on Thursday.

Queiroga said export of the vaccines, developed by J&J’s Janssen subsidiary, from the United States still requires authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Via Reuters

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Brazil economy rebounds to pre-pandemic level, pointing to brighter 2021

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Brazil’s economy grew by 1.2% in the first quarter, data showed on Tuesday, faster than economists had expected, as rebounding services and investments took Latin America’s largest economy back to is size at the end of 2019, before the pandemic hit.

It was the third consecutive quarter of growth. While the rebound has slowed, underlying figures suggest strong foundations for a continued recovery, prompting upward revisions to full-year forecasts and a surge in Brazil’s currency.

By Jamie Mcgeever via Reuters

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How a vaccination experiment known as ‘Project S’ transformed one small Brazilian city

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Serrana (CNN)Hope has returned to the small city of Serrana, Brazil, after researchers vaccinated almost its entire adult population in a city-wide medical experiment this spring.

“Everything is practically open now, and the atmosphere is so different, so much lighter and joyful. We feel safe while the other cities around us are in a very difficult situation,” says Ricardo Luiz, owner of a well-known restaurant in Serrana.
By Marcia Reverdosa and Rodrigo Pedroso via CNN

Brazil’s Anvisa approves Russian Sputnik V vaccine, with conditions

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Brazilian health regulator Anvisa on Friday gave the green light for states to import the Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V, but with conditions attached.

Anvisa’s board voted 4-1 to grant the conditional approval after more than seven hours of deliberation, following the recommendation of its technical staff earlier in the day.

By Jamie McGeever and Lisandra Paraguassu via Reuters

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Brazilian proptech startup QuintoAndar lands $300M at a $4B valuation

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Fintech and proptech are two sectors that are seeing exploding growth in Latin America, as financial services and real estate are two categories in particular dire need of innovation in a region.

Brazil’s QuintoAndar, which has developed a real estate marketplace focused on rentals and sales, has seen impressive growth in recent years. And today, the São Paulo-based proptech has announced it has closed on $300 million in a Series E round of funding that values it at an impressive $4 billion.

By Mary Ann Azevedo via TechCrunch

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AliExpress eyes ‘live commerce,’ financial products to expand Brazil sales

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SAO PAULO, May 26 (Reuters) – AliExpress, the global e-commerce platform of Chinese giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd , aims to increase its Brazil sales by offering “live commerce,” financial services and registering local sellers in its marketplace, its Brazilian head told Reuters on Wednesday.

With Brazil sales growth of around 130% in 2020, the shopping portal wants to use these initiatives to deepen its links with customers in Brazil, which has become one of the five largest AliExpress markets in sales in the world, Yan Di said.

 

By Aluisio Alves via Yahoo Finance

 

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Brazil’s Gol says domestic air travel outlook improving, aims to raise $563 mln

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Brazilian airline Gol Linhas Aereas (GOLL4.SA) said there was an improvement in domestic ticket sales in May, driven by advances in Brazil’s COVID-19 vaccination program.

“The rise in ticket sales in May, combined with other initiatives, are paving the way for significant improvements in this recovery phase,” Gol said on Wednesday in a securities filing.

By Reuters

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Brazil announces digital currency guidelines

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Brazil’s central bank has launched the general guidelines for the digitization of its currency, the real.

The announcement on the intentions to create a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) made today (24) is part of the central bank’s agenda for the modernization of the Brazilian payments industry, which included the launch of instant payments last November and the ongoing implementation of open banking.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Enbridge, Fluxys, EIG bid for Brazil’s top natgas import pipeline, sources say

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A consortium of Canada’s Enbridge (ENB.TO), Belgium’s Fluxys (FLUX.BR) and U.S. private equity firm EIG Global Energy Partners has submitted a non-binding offer for Brazil’s largest natural gas import pipeline, three people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters this week.

Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PETR4.SA), as Brazil’s state-run oil company is formally known, put its stakes in the 2,593-kilometer (1,611-mile) TBG pipeline, which imports gas from Bolivia, and the far southern TSB pipeline up for sale in December. Non-binding offers were due by late April.

By Carolina Mandl, Sabrina Valle and Gram Slattery via Reuters

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O crédito como diferencial nos Ecossistemas de Negócios Made in Brazil

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O crédito ao consumo no Brasil é diferenciado pelo envolvimento direto e a participação das empresas varejistas na sua concessão, tornando o País um benchmarking global nesse aspecto.

Na Via, antiga Via Varejo, que opera Casas Bahia e Ponto, ex-Ponto Frio, são 95 milhões de crediaristas na base. Na Riachuelo, são mais de 32 milhões possuidores de seu cartão de crédito, bandeira própria, que respondem por perto de 42% de sua venda total. Carrefour, Pão de Açúcar, C&A, Pernambucanas, Renner, Marisa e Americanas, para citar apenas algumas, também têm alta representatividade em suas vendas dos clientes de seu crédito, tradicional ou via cartão com bandeira própria em seus negócios.

 

By Marcos Gouvêa de Souza via Mercado & Consumo

 

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Brazil’s financial social media platform TradersClub seeks $565 million valuation in IPO -sources

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) -Brazilian financial social media platform TradersClub is seeking a 3 billion real ($565.65 million) valuation in its initial public offering, two sources with knowledge of the matter said.

The company filed late on Wednesday for an IPO to raise around 700 million reais to fund expansion and potential acquisitions, the people added, asking for anonymity to disclose private discussions.

 

By Tatiana Bautzer via Yahoo Finance

 

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Brazil wants Mercosur to agree on a 20% reduction of the Common External Tariff

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Brazil is determined that Mercosur’s Common External Tariff, TEC, be reduced by 20% in two rounds of unilateral cuts, 10% immediately, and the other 10% in December. This is the official strategy and position of Brazil for the extraordinary meeting in June of the four founding members of the group, in Buenos Aires, underlined Lucas Ferraz, foreign trade secretary of the Brazilian Ministry of the economy.

According to Mercosur rules all decisions must be adopted by consensus, which means that the TEC has become a contentious issue between the two main partners Brazil, and Argentina, which is reluctant to advance so fast or take such bold steps.

 

Via Merco Press

 

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Brazil sets price caps for June 25 auctions

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May 19 (Renewables Now) – Brazil’s power sector regulator Aneel approved on Tuesday the price ceilings for the power generation auctions scheduled for June 25, 2021.

Dubbed A-3 and A-4, the tenders will contract power from wind, solar, hydro and biomass-based thermal plants. The highest maximum bidding price is set at BRL 292 (USD 55.5/EUR 45.4) per MWh.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Brazil Looks Set for a Shipping Boom—Leaving Some Concerned about a Lack of Oversight

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Since he first took office in 2019, Brazil’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, has prioritized transforming the country’s logistics network for transporting domestic goods. Historically highway-centric, the shipping of goods around the country by truck is a major source of congestion and carbon dioxide pollution. In the next few weeks, the Brazilian Congress looks set to approve a bill that will encourage the transportation of goods by sea. But the bill has environmentalists, and even some government employees, alarmed as it does little to address the potential impacts on marine ecosystems that would result from a sharp increase in shipping.

 

By Eduardo Campos Lima via Hakai Magazine

 

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Commodities Cycle Should Benefit Brazil for at Least Two Years

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The rising prices of raw materials, such as soybeans and iron ore, will likely benefit Brazil for at least the next two years. Although it is too early to predict the size of this new cycle, the perception of analysts interviewed by Folha is that it will be less intense than the commodity boom of the 2000s.

Commodity prices using the CRB (Commodity Research Bureau) index rose by almost 70% in one year. In the same period, metallic commodities tripled in price in the international market, mainly in iron ore (+ 150%), and agricultural products have already emerged from a longer appreciation, mainly from soy.

 

By Douglas Gavras via Folha de S. Paulo

 

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WhatsApp delays enforcement of new privacy rules in Brazil

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The full enforcement of WhatsApp’s new privacy policy has been delayed in Brazil as local authorities investigate the data privacy implications to users of the app’s new rules.

The decision follows a series of discussions between the owner of the messaging app Facebook and Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD), national consumer body Senacon, the Federal Prosecution Service and competition watchdog Cade. Under the agreement, WhatsApp users will still be able to utilize the service and all its features for three months before agreeing to the new policy.

 

By Angelica Maria via ZD Net

 

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Brazil sells the most soy to the United States since 2014 -shipping data

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Brazil is on track to sell the largest volume of soybeans to the United States since 2014, according to shipping data from maritime agent Cargonave, as the nation helps Americans fill a momentary supply gap. Increased shipments to the United States show that tight supplies and high prices are forcing soybean users like oilseed crushers and meat producers to change their suppliers to keep operations running. A total of 208,000 tonnes of Brazil soybeans have been shipped to the United States or will set sail soon, according to shipping data and a source.

 

By Ana Mano via Hellenic Shipping News

 

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Hydrogen in Brazil

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In December 2020 the Brazilian Ministry of Mines and Energy issued the Brazilian National Energy Plan 2050 (“2050 Energy Plan”), outlining the directives for the long-term strategy for the Brazilian energy sector. The 2050 Energy Plan dedicated a chapter to hydrogen, listing it as a disruptive technology, capable of significantly changing the energy market.

The 2050 Energy Plan highlights that hydrogen may help solving energy challenges such as reduction of carbon emissions in hard-to-decarbonize sectors, storage of renewables, safety in the energy supply due to the flexibility in hydrogen production (multiple sources) and diversity in its use cases (direct or converted into electricity). The 2050 Energy Plan also listed fuel cells as a potential key technology for the decarbonisation of the transportation sector in Brazil going forward.

 

By Danielle Gomes de A. Valois via Lexology

 

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Brazil to participate in submarine cable to link America and Asia

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Santiago de Chile, May 14 (Prensa Latina) Brazil made official its participation in the Humboldt project, a submarine fiber optic cable that will link Chile and South America with Asia and Oceania through the South Pacific.
Brazil’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Alberto Franco announced so in a videoconference with his Chilean counterpart, Andres Allamand, and the Chile’s Minister of Transport and Telecommunications Gloria Hutt.
Via Prensa Latina

GREENSPOON MARDER INNOVATION WEEK

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Join our member’s, Greenspoon Marder, at their Innovation Week, bringing together top companies and thought leaders across industry lines. With a focus on changes, challenges and opportunities businesses are facing across the globe, hear from those who are innovating and evolving and leave with ideas for your own new course of success.

 

More Information

Brazil launches fund to invest in Internet of Things startups

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Brazilian public and private sector actors have announced the launch of a 240 million reais ($45 million) venture capital fund focused on early stage investments in companies active in the Internet of Things (IoT) and connectivity space.

Managed by Indicator Capital, the fund was created by the Brazilian Development Fund (BNDES) and Qualcomm Ventures following a tendering process in 2019 to find a company to structure and run the vehicle. The fund will support up to 30 startups in Series A rounds over the next 10 years and it expects to close 7 deals in 2021.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Oracle opens second cloud region in Brazil

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Oracle on Wednesday announced that its second Brazilian cloud region is live in Vinhedo, a city in the state of Sao Paolo. With this launch, Oracle’s Gen2 Cloud will be available in 30 locations. The tech giant is on track to have a total of 38 cloud regions up and running by the end of this year.

The new region makes Oracle the only cloud provider with two regions in Brazil. Oracle has had a presence in Brazil since last year, when it launched its first Sao Paulo region.

 

By Stephanie Condon via ZD Net

 

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Brazil coffee harvest starts in the heart of its biggest city

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Brazil’s arabica harvest kicked off symbolically this weekend with volunteers picking through one of the world’s largest urban coffee farms at Sao Paulo’s Instituto Biológico, a hub of agricultural research in the middle of the metropolis.

In the shadow of the institute’s towering art-deco headquarters, the group worked its way through neat rows of 2,000 trees, marveling at the pastoral scene just a stone’s throw from the city’s central Ibirapuera Park.

By Amanda Perobelli via Reuters

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Brazil buys 100 million more doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s Health Ministry on Tuesday announced it had signed a deal for Pfizer to deliver an additional 100 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine, doubling the number of shots from the company.

The additional shots will be delivered between September and December, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

 

By Ricardo Brito via 790 KFGO

 

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Seminário Empreendedorismo Feminino

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No primeiro dia do evento o tema será voltado à mentalidade empreendedora e quais as atitudes ideais para manter as portas abertas do seu negócio e atrair mais clientes, considerando os pilares: missão, visão e propósito.

No segundo dia do evento o tema será sobre como reconstruir seu negócio e fazê-lo prosperar em meio à crise, conquistando a confiança do cliente e se organizando financeiramente.

#SeminarioEmpreendorismoFeminino #debatesvirtuais #mulheresbrasileiras
#GrupoMulheresdoBrasilNY #GrupoMulheresdoBrasil #ConsuladoBrasileirodeNY #empreendedorismofeminino #webinar

 

Transmissão: Canal do YouTube Grupo Mulheres do Brasil

AES sees opportunity as Brazil turns to wind power

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For all the criticism Brazil has endured over its stewardship of the Amazon, it can still boast of its climate credentials in the field of clean energy.

Hydropower has long provided most of the country’s electricity, thanks to the construction of large-scale dams and reservoirs, in particular under the ruling military dictatorship of the 1960s.

 

By Michael Pooler via Financial Times

 

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Brazil aiming to reduce gas reinjection

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In an attempt to reduce reinjections of natural gas back into wells at production sites, the Brazilian government has created new rules to facilitate the development of gas-fired power plants, with the start of dispatch set for 2026.

Natural gas reinjection takes place when producers inject gas back into the well in order to increase the flow of crude oil from the well, or else sequester gas that cannot be exported. The practice is common among oil producers in Brazil, as the country does not have sufficient natural gas transportation or processing capacity available, as well as little demand for gas-fired power.

 

By Flávia Pierry via Argus Media

 

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How Azul Has Managed To Recover Despite Brazil’s COVID Crisis

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The Brazilian airline Azul Linhas Aereas ended the first quarter with 109% of its domestic capacity than its pre-pandemic levels. While Azul still posted a net loss of US$509 million, the airline seems to be on track for a recovery, surpassing its domestic peers, GOL and LATAM Brazil. But, how has Azul achieved this bounceback? Let’s investigate further.

Azul is a point-to-point airline. It doesn’t have a true hub, like GOL or LATAM. These last two airlines mainly fly from Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport, the gateway of Brazil. Meanwhile, Azul flies out of everywhere.

 

By Daniel Martínez Garbuno via Simple Flying

 

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Brazil real hits 4-month high as global banks turn hawkish on interest rates

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Brazil’s real surged on Thursday to close at its highest in almost four months against the dollar, a day after the central bank struck a hawkish tone in its statement that accompanied a second aggressive hike in borrowing costs.

A clutch of major global banks published notes revising their outlook on Brazil’s benchmark Selic rate, which they say is now likely to rise more quickly or more aggressively.

By Jamie McGeever via Reuters

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Brazil’s ANP approves hybrid trading model for biodiesel

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Brazil’s National Petroleum Agency approved April 29 a proposal to shift biodiesel trading from the country’s current public auction model to a hybrid model, starting January 2022.

After more than 30 meetings with the participants in Brazil’s biodiesel market, the agency, the ANP, announced the parameters established for the hybrid trading mode, which would replace the auction model in place since 2008 when Brazil started to blend diesel fuel with biodiesel, resulting in a 2% biodiesel mix.

 

By Nicolle Monteiro de Castro via S&P Global Platts

 

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EDF Renewables to build 242-MW wind park in Brazil

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April 29 (Renewables Now) – EDF Renewables, a unit of French utility EDF (EPA:EDF), will be building a 242-MW wind farm in Brazil’s Paraiba, the state’s government announced this week.

Under a newly-signed protocol of intent, the European company will invest around BRL 1 billion (USD 187m/EUR 154m) in the development of the Serra do Serido wind farm in the towns of Junco de Serido and Santa Luzia.

 

By Lucas Morais

 

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Brazil begins to make own Covid-19 vaccine

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Production began on the first of an expected 18 million doses by mid-July, though Brazil’s Health Regulatory Agency (Anvisa) is yet to authorise the vaccine

Brazil’s Sao Paulo-based Butantan Institute, a state-run medical research facility, on Wednesday began to manufacture ButanVac, the first Brazilian vaccine against the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19), state governor Joao Doria announced.
Via Mint

Brazil’s Positive Ventures Closes on 10M Fund for Impact Investing

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Positive Ventures, a São Paulo-based venture firm, has secured $10 million for its latest fund.

Positive Ventures has raised the capital from an impressive list of LPs, including investor Luis Stuhlberger, founding partner of Verde Asset Management and Teresa and Cândido Bracher, who was the chairman of Itaú-Unibanco, Brazil’s largest bank.

 

Mary Ann Azevedo via Tech Crunch

 

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US: student exemption to Covid travel rule for China, Brazil, Europe

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The NIE rule applies for any F-1 or M-1 visa holder if their academic program begins August 1 2021 or later. Those applicants who are found to be otherwise qualified for an F-1 or M-1 visa will automatically be considered for an NIE to travel.

This news, announced April 26 by the state department, will be welcome, but more needs to be done say senior stakeholders, particularly regarding the reported problems (in China especially) accessing appointments to seek a US visa. NAFSA is calling for in-person interviews to cease to be mandatory to help resume processing at pace.

 

Via The Pie News

 

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Brazil Investment Forum 2021

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The Brasil Investment Forum 2021 (BIF) is an international event about attracting foreign investments to Brazil, organized by Apex-Brasil, the Interamerican Development Bank (IDB) and the Brazilian Federal Government, which will be held online on May 31 and June 1st, 2021.

Known as the largest event for foreign investment in Latin America, BIF will bring together federal, state and local government authorities and executives from large companies from Brazil and the world, as well as representatives from academia, the press and opinion makers.

In this edition the Forum will highlight investment opportunities in strategic sectors such as agribusiness, energy, infrastructure, innovation, health and technology, among others. This will be a unique opportunity to discuss improvements in the country’s business environment.

This year BIF will be held online. The event will feature high-level panel discussions with government representatives and CEOs from leading multinationals, a presentation room for public and private projects in Brazil that are seeking foreign direct investment and the opportunity for networking with representatives of state governments and participants.

 

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BRAZIL DATA: March biodiesel production rises despite higher feedstock costs

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Rio de Janeiro — Brazil boosted biodiesel production year on year in March after Latin America’s biggest country increased its biodiesel-diesel blend March 1, but high raw-materials prices remain a challenge to additional growth in 2021, according to data released April 26 by the National Petroleum Agency, or ANP.

Brazil produced 639.9 million liters of biodiesel in March, an increase of 16.3% from 550.3 million liters in March 2020, the ANP said. March’s biodiesel production also advanced 21.9% from February’s 524.9 million liters.

 

By Jeff Fick via S&P Global Platts

 

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Embraer and Brazilian air force to study development of advanced UAV

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Embraer and the Brazilian air force have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly study the design and development of an “advanced unmanned aircraft system”.

Few details about the unmanned air vehicle (UAV) were revealed by Embraer in its announcement on 23 April. However, the company distributed a rendering, for “illustrated purposes only”, of a stealthy UAV with short swept wings, perhaps indicating a combat role.

 

By Garrett Reim via Flight Global

 

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Brazil Tech Round-Up: Cabify Ends Brazil Operations, Locaweb Makes Its Largest Acquisition, PicPay Readies IPO

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Spanish mobility firm Cabify has announced on Friday (23) that it will end its Brazil operations in June. Among the reasons prompting the decision, the mobility company noted Brazil is “still very affected by its serious healthcare situation and the local socioeconomic crisis caused by Covid-19”. This broader context limits value creation, the startup said, adding that it is “committed to profitability.”

“The company will continue to be attentive to needs and opportunities future mobility in this market”, Cabify said in a statement. Contacted by Forbes, the firm declined to confirm how many employees will be affected by the decision.

 

By Angelica Maria via Forbes

 

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Mattos Filho announces the admission of Capital Markets partner Caio Cossermelli

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Dear clients and business partners,

It is with great pleasure that we announce the admission of another partner to our law firm. Already well-known and recognized in the market, Caio Cossermelli has now joined our Capital Markets practice area. His arrival will further strengthen our work in this area, which was marked by a high number of initial public share offerings (IPOs) in Brazil during 2020. Forecasts indicate that this is expected to continue throughout 2021.

A law graduate at the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, Caio also holds a Master of Laws from the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in Chicago. Possessing extensive experience in IPOs and follow-ons, he advises clients in registering publicly-held companies, establishing securities distribution programs (such as units) as well as in everyday corporate and regulatory activities. Caio also advises on mergers and acquisitions, debt and securitization offers, financing and structured transactions (including infrastructure projects), along with international transactions across multiple jurisdictions involving loans and securities.

Mattos Filho leads the rankings for transactions in capital markets in Brazil, with the largest exclusively dedicated legal team in this area. Caio’s arrival reinforces the firm’s commitment to continue growing in light of the prospects for expansion within the area, as we assist our clients in navigating planned regulatory changes within the capital markets sector. We will thus be able to continue offering complete and comprehensive legal advice, with a focus on innovative and multidisciplinary projects.

 

Learn more about our Capital Markets practice area on the Mattos Filho website.

Brazil to invest USD 70m in solar power for Amazon region

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April 23 (Renewables Now) – The Brazilian Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) will initially invest BRL 386 million (USD 70.3m/EUR 58.5m) to supply clean energy to isolated communities in the Amazonian archipelago of Marajo.

This initial agreement will benefit 50,000 people that live in the municipalities of Curralinho, Melgaco and Portel, in the state of Para, through electricity transmission networks and solar energy generation systems, MME announced this week.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Brazil’s April soybean exports gain momentum on third-week surge: sources

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Brazilian soybeans exports in the first three weeks of April surpassed the year-ago level due to higher exports in the third week of the month, sources said April 20, which is likely to support domestic oilseed prices.

According to the foreign trade department’s report released April 19, Brazil exported 10.6 million mt of beans so far in April, compared with the equivalent 2020 volume of 9.16 million mt.

 

Via Hellenic Shipping News

 

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Joint effort needed for Brazil gas market opening: ANP

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Some states are already working to open gas markets to more competition, such as Amazonia and Rio Grande do Norte.

A presidential decree expected by mid-May should add more detail to the new law and will be followed by updates and resolutions from the ANP. The regulator may restructure its personnel in order to carry out the legislation.

 

By Flavia Pierry via Argus Media

 

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Brazil sees solar boom ahead of cut in subsidies for new projects

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Power utilities and developers are rushing to register solar projects in Brazil, one of the most promising markets for renewables, as it prepares to cut subsidies for new solar installations and wind farms, according to a report by consultancy ePowerBay.

Spain´s Iberdrola (IBE.MC), France´s Voltalia (VLTSA.PA), EDF (EDF.PA), Italy´s Enel (ENEI.MI) and Portugal´s EDP Renewables are among the main players developing solar projects in Brazil, as well as Atlas Energia, controlled by the British private equity firm Actis, ePowerBay said on Tuesday.

By Luciano Costa via Reuters

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France, Brazil Push Carrefour Revenue Ahead 4.2% in Q1

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PARIS — Carrefour reported sales rose 4.2 percent to 18.56 billion euros over the first quarter, spurred on by consumption in France, where it has bulked up e-commerce services, as well as fast growth in Brazil.

“Our growth model, based on operational excellence, competitiveness and the power of our omnichannel offer, translates into market-share gains in our main countries,” said chief executive officer Alexandre Bompard. Under Bompard’s direction, Carrefour has bolstered its e-commerce through partnerships with technology companies, and increased organic food offers.

 

By Mimosa Spencer via Yahoo Finance

 

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Brazil’s GDP on track to better results than expected

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Brazil’s Economic Activity Index (IBC-Br), released by the Central Bank and believed to be an omen of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose 1.70% in February 2021, against January’s figures, it was announced Monday.

The new data show a positive variation of 0.98% year to year, against the -0.4% analysts had envisioned. The official forecast of the Central Bank on GDP expansion for 2021 is 3.6%.

 

Via Merco Press

 

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US-Brazil New Energy Investment Forum

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Do you want to know why Brazil was selected as the third most attractive country for clean energy investment (Climatescopes 2020)? Join Apex Brasil at the online event US-Brazil New Energy Investment Forum, April 29, at 2 pm (Brasilia time) / 1 pm (Eastern Standard Time) and learn how you can start investing in the Brazilian new energy sector.
 
Access the Program here: https://lnkd.in/epNpsFD
Apex-Brasil – Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce – Ministério das Relações Exteriores.

Brazil’s PIX surpasses 1 billion transactions

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The news: Brazil’s central bank-run instant payments system processed 1.05 billion transactions worth BRL787 billion ($152.6 billion) between November and March, per Mobile Time.

Here’s how it works: PIX, which launched in November, lets users make real-time money transfers 24/7 to individuals or businesses without needing a bank account. To use the smartphone-based service, users have to register “keys” like their social security numbers, mobile phone numbers, or email addresses with a bank or fintech as an authentication method.

 

By Adriana Nunez via eMarketer

 

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Brazil completes first-ever video call on standalone 5G

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The first ever video call on standalone 5G in Latin America has been completed in Brazil as part of a series of supplier demonstrations to the government ahead of the upcoming fifth-generation spectrum auction.

The video call, made on Friday (9) from Nokia’s Brazilian headquarters in São Paulo, connected Brazil’s communications minister Fabio Faria to president Jair Bolsonaro, who was in Brasília at the time.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Norway’s Hydro to buy LNG for Brazil plant in carbon-reduction push

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Norwegian metals maker Norsk Hydro (NHY.OL) said on Friday it has struck a preliminary deal with New Fortress Energy (NFE.O) to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) for its Alunorte alumina refinery in Brazil, switching the energy source from fuel oil.

Supply of LNG by the U.S.-based energy company to the Barcarena municipality is expected to start in 2022 under a 15-year deal, according to Hydro.

Via Reuters

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Brazil Looks To Finance Fuel Subsidies With Oil Auctions

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Brazil is studying the possibility to finance a future fund to subsidize domestic fuel prices with part of the proceeds it expects to receive from an offshore oil auction later this year, a source with direct knowledge of the government’s plans told Reuters this week.

Fuel prices and the hikes in those prices early this year became the bone of contention between Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and state oil firm Petrobras—a spat that ended with Bolsonaro ousting the chief executive of the Brazilian national oil company, Roberto Castello Branco.

 

By Tsvetana Paraskova via Yahoo Finance

 

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Eletrobras to investigate green hydrogen production in Brazil

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Brazil state utility Eletrobras and its research arm Cepel are partnering with Siemens Energy to develop green hydrogen production.

Under the agreement, the three partners are to implement joint studies covering the full hydrogen technology cycle from production to consumption, accompanied by the development of a scalable pilot production plant.
Based on the outcomes, the companies anticipate moving towards the implementation of a commercial-scale production plant to produce hydrogen with a zero carbon footprint.

 

By Jonathan Spencer Jones via Power Engineering International

 

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Brazil Central Bank Pledges to Stop Core Inflation Contagion

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Brazil’s central bank is closely monitoring if a recent spike in commodity prices will continue to affect core inflation, and particularly expectations for 2022, as it calibrates monetary policy, according to its President Roberto Campos Neto.

The bank delivered an outsized rate hike last month and promised another in May as it realized that what it deems as temporary price shocks were having a more lasting impact on inflation, even when excluding more volatile items such as food and energy.

 

By Andrew Rosati and Shery Ahn

 

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Improving Brazil’s Business Environment

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On 30th March 2021, two legislative measures were published in Brazil. The first, Law 14,129/2021 (“The Law”) implements the Brazilian Digital Government Policy (“DGP”), while the second, Provisional Measure 1,040/2021 (“The Measure”) aims to improve the business environment in Brazil, with the objective of improving its position in the World Bank’s “Doing Business” ranking. While they are distinct acts, there is a strong common theme to both: reducing bureaucracy in both the public administration and the private sector.

The Law provides for the principles, rules and instruments for the implementation of the DGP. It aims to improve the efficiency of public administration through digitalising records and using technology to make public services more widely accessible to the population, including those on low incomes or residing in rural and isolated areas.

The Measure sets forth legislative changes to promote and foster the creation and development of businesses in Brazil. Brazil is currently ranked 124 in the world on the World Bank’s “Doing Business” rankings[1]. This Measure directly addresses some of the issues currently faced by those wishing to start or grow businesses in Brazil, in accordance with the recommendations of the World Bank, and with the aim of improving that ranking.

 

By Ted Rhodes and Valerio Salgado

 

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Brazil publishes national artificial intelligence strategy

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The Brazilian government has published the country’s artificial intelligence (AI) strategy to guide actions around research, innovation and the development of related technologies to tackle the country’s greatest challenges, as well as ethics.

The publication of the strategy follows a process of over a year since the launch of the consultation to gather input for the plan in late 2019, after a period of engagement with AI consulting firms and an international benchmarking process. According to the Brazilian government, the consultation lasted until March 2020 and more than 1,000 contributions were received.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Brazil’s 2021 interest rate outlook rises to 5.25%, survey shows

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BRASILIA, April 12 (Reuters) – Brazil’s 2021 interest rate outlook rose to 5.25%, a central bank survey of economists published on Monday showed, after policymakers’ repeated comments that aggressive tightening now means borrowing costs will not have to rise as much in the end.

The median forecast for the benchmark Selic rate from over 100 economists in the central bank’s weekly ‘FOCUS’ survey increased from 5.00% the week before, and 4.50% four weeks ago.

By Jamie McGeever via Reuters

Petrobras publishes the 2020 Sustainability Report with advances in ESG

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Operation safety and investments over R$ 145 million in projects and donations to society reflect the company’s socioenvironmental action over the last year

april 08, 2021
In a year marked by the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences, Petrobras was able to achieve positive economic results and, at the same time, expand its commitments to sustainability and improve environmental and social indicators, as well as support the fight against the effects of the pandemic in the Brazilian society. The information regarding the company’s operational, economic, social, environmental, and governance performance is compiled in the Sustainability Report 2020, published this Wednesday in the English version.

 

“Petrobras’ performance in an extremely challenging year reveals our relentless pursuit of the dual objective of maximizing return for shareholders and society,” said CEO Roberto Castello Branco. The document details Petrobras’ support for society’s actions to fight the Covid-19 by donating tests, hospital and hygiene materials, fuel for ambulances and hospital vehicles, and food for low-income families. The company also made financial donations to scientific projects to fight the pandemic and provided computing capacity to support research efforts. The donations in response to Covid-19 and to other disaster situations in Brazil – such as the floods in the states of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo, fires in the Pantanal and blackouts in Amapá – totaled, in 2020, the amount of R$25.5 million, donated by Petrobras and its equity stakes, in addition to expenses to carry out the management of these projects.

 

Read Full Report Here

UPDATE 1-Brazil FX dynamics improving, market more balanced -central bank director

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BRASILIA, April 8 (Reuters) – The dynamics driving Brazil’s currency are improving and the market is now more balanced, despite lingering fiscal uncertainty, central bank monetary policy director Bruno Serra said on Thursday.

In an online debate hosted by event management company Consulting House, Serra said the central bank’s market interventions earlier this year have helped greatly, while the capital flows picture for the real is also brighter.

 

By Jamie McGeever and Gabriel Ponte via Reuters

 

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Fund manager Ashmore snaps up Brazil, China local currency bonds

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LONDON, April 9 (Reuters) – Fund manager Ashmore Group has bought Brazilian and Chinese local currency bonds as it remains focused on broader emerging market local debt, betting on strong performance during 2021.

Brazilian markets have had a tough start to 2021, with local currency bonds selling off by around 170 basis points and the real currency sliding 7% against the dollar as concerns about politics surfaced and as the country battles the world’s worst daily COVID-19 death toll.

 

By Tom Arnold via Reuters

 

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Vehicle exports from Brazil up in Q1

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São Paulo – Vehicle exports from Brazil were up 7.6% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2021, the National Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association (Anfavea) reported this Wednesday (7).

Q1 saw 95,800 units shipped from Brazil, including light vehicles, trucks and buses. Light vehicles accounted for the near-entirety of exports at 89,600 units. Foreign sales also included 5,200 trucks and 845 buses.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Soya sales from Brazil set record in March

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São Paulo – Soya exports from Brazil climbed 12% year-on-year in March, the National Cereal Exporters Association (Anec) reported. Sales amounted to 14.9 million tons, a monthly record.

Year-to-date, however, exports slid by 5%, according to the Anec’s website, to 20.4 million tons in Q1 2021, from 21.6 million tons in Q1 2020. Sales were weaker in January, and marginally so in February.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Brazil to produce 141 million mt soybeans in 2021-22 on record acreage: USDA FAS

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New Delhi — Brazil is forecast to produce an all-time high soybean volume of 141 million mt in 2021-22 marketing year (February 2022–January 2023) on record acreage of 40 million hectares, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, which is likely to pressure US-origin soybean demand next season.

Soybean expansion is forecast on current market conditions and trends — including strong demand, high prices and a favorable exchange rate, FAS said. All these conditions are expected to persist into the 2021-22 season, it said in the report released April 6.

 

By Asim Anand via S&P Platts

 

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BRAZIL HARVESTS 78% OF SOYBEAN CROP, SECOND CORN PLANTINGS FINISHED, CONSULTANCY SAYS

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SAO PAULO, April 5 (Reuters) – Brazilian farmers had harvested 78% of the area planted with the 2020/2021 soybean crop as of last Thursday, compared with 83% at the same point last year, agribusiness consultancy AgRural said on Monday.

As the soybean season draws to a close, Brazilian farmers were able to finish planting their second corn crop, as much of it is grown in the same areas as the oilseeds, AgRural said.

 

By Ana Mano via Successful Farming

 

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Pinterest Launches Pinterest Ads in Brazil, Expanding Marketing Opportunities

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Pinterest continues to expand its ad business, with brands in Brazil now able to launch paid promotions via Pin.

As explained by Pinterest:

“46 million people in Brazil use Pinterest to find ideas. To shop. To decide what’s next. They’ve long depended on Pinterest for inspiration and product discovery. And starting today, Brazilian marketers can use Pinterest ads to better reach this highly engaged audience.”

 

By Andrew Hutchinson via Social Media Today

 

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FinanZero, Brazil’s free online credit marketplace, raises $7M

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FinanZero, a Brazilian online credit marketplace, announced today that it has closed a $7 million round of funding – its fourth since it launched in 2016 was founded in 2016. It has raised a total of $22.85 million to date.

The real-time online loan broker allows people to apply for a personal loan, a car equity loan, or a home equity loan for free and receive an answer in minutes. A key to FinanZero’s success is that it doesn’t offer the loans itself, but has instead partnered with about 51 banks and fintechs who back the loans.

 

By Marcella McCarthy via TechCrunch

 

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WhatsApp gains regulatory approval to relaunch payments service in Brazil

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The Facebook-owned messaging platform has the green light to launch its payments service in Brazil after gaining approval from the country’s central bank, per Reuters. WhatsApp is only allowed to operate its peer-to-peer (P2P) payments service; though Facebook is still seeking approval, it can’t yet extend this service to merchants.

WhatsApp has hit roadblocks launching its payments service globally, with regulators citing antitrust concerns.

 

By Adriana Nunez via eMarketer

 

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Anhydrous ethanol premium over hydrous in Center-South Brazil at record high

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New York — The spot premium of anhydrous ethanol over hydrous in Brazil’s Center-South for the 2020-21 crop, which ended March 31, averaged 14.3%, up 3% from the prior crop and at the highest premium since S&P Global Platts started to track it for the 2014-15 crop.

Platts considered hydrous and anhydrous free of taxes to calculate the spot premium.

The highest premium was recorded at 26.8% during the three first days of the 2020-21 crop, while the lowest at 4.2% was on March 10.

 

By Nicole Monteiro de Castro

 

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Brazil exempts 65 items from import tax to fight COVID-19

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Brasília – Gecex, a technical body within the Brazilian foreign trade chamber Camex, said on Monday, 29, it zeroed import taxes on 65 products to ease the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak on the population. Now, Brazil has 628 coronavirus-related products with zero import taxes.

Eligible goods include medicines for pain relief, sedation, intubation, and artificial respiration, including anesthetics, tranquilizers, painkillers and antibiotics. The measure also encompasses monitors for clinical beds and Intensive Care Units (ICUs), equipment for breath gas analyses, and ICU monitoring central servers, as well as truck bodies and tank trucks to transport dangerous goods, such as oxygen.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Brazil takes steps to modernize business environment

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São Paulo – Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro signed on Monday, 29, a provisional measure to modernize the business environment in Brazil. It provides for simplifying starting a business, protecting minority investors and facilitating trade of goods and services. The government aims at increasing Brazil’s position in the World Bank’s Doing Business ranking in 191 countries.

As per information made public by the General Secretariat of the Presidency, the initiative brings about changes and cuts the red tape in starting businesses, providing for the unification of the federal, state and city registration at the National Registry of Legal Entities (CNPJ in Portuguese), eliminating viability analysis – which only exist in Brazil – and automating checking business names in seconds.

 

Via Brazil Arab News Agency

 

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Landmark study shows how child grants empower women in Brazil and South Africa

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Since the mid-1990s, new approaches to poverty reduction have been introduced in countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Some have involved income transfer programmes that target poorer citizens based on various means tests. Most have targeted female caregivers, primarily mothers.

The most expansive child and family grants are in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Argentina and South Africa, which has put in place the biggest social provision net in Africa.

 

By Leila Patel, Natasha Borges Sugiyama and Wendy Hunter via The Conversation

 

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Brazil’s iFood outlines sustainability initiatives aiming to reduce its carbon footprint

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The Brazilian-based pan-Latin American food delivery startup iFood has announced a series of initiatives designed to reduce the company’s environmental impact as consumers push companies to focus more on sustainability.

The program has two main components — one focused on plastic pollution and waste and another aiming to become carbon neutral in its operations by 2025.

 

By Jonathan Shieber via TechCrunch

 

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US soybean production growth hasn’t matched Brazil

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In our last column, we began this series of articles designed to provide insight into the question of whether or not a U.S. agricultural policy focused on exports has been able to sustain agricultural prices at a profitable level for a sustained period of time. In making this analysis, we acknowledge that in a single year, or a short burst of years, exports can have a positive impact on U.S. crop prices.

The question is whether policies designed with the goal of expanding crop exports can sustain profitable crop prices over the long haul. If crop exports cannot sustain a long period of profitable prices, then we must identify other means to support profitable crop prices over the long term.

 

By Harwood D. Schaffer and Daryll E. Ray via Wisconsin State Farmer

 

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Real Estate Platform Loft Raises $425M at a $2.2B Valuation in One of Brazil’s Largest Venture Rounds

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Buying and selling residential real estate is a complex business, no matter where you live. A slew of startups in the United States are focused on streamlining that process for people. But in Brazil, where no MLS exists, the challenge of digitizing real estate is even greater.

One startup that has set out to serve as a “one-stop shop” for Brazilians to help them manage the home buying and selling process has managed to attract one of the largest — if not the largest — funding rounds ever raised by a Brazilian startup.

Mary Ann Azevedo via TechCrunch

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Veirano & ESG: uma combinação de sucesso

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Atualmente, a adoção e divulgação de critérios ESG (Ambiental, Social e Governança) para qualificar negócios, investimentos e financiamentos tornou-se imperativo de mercado. Esses critérios atualizam a gestão de riscos das empresas ao mesmo tempo em que representam grande oportunidade de inovação. Já a divulgação aos olhos do mercado é ação essencial, utilizada por consumidores, comunidades, investidores e financiadores como diretriz para melhores decisões.

Pensando no quanto a adoção de critérios ESG é decisiva no planejamento estratégico de qualquer negócio, especialmente para assegurar retorno ao acionista e sobrevivência no longo prazo, reunimos um time de especialistas em uma nova área dedicada para assessorar nossos clientes no viés legal do ESG.

 

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French supermarket group Carrefour to buy Brazil’s Grupo Big in $1.3 bln deal

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PARIS, March 24 (Reuters) – French supermarket retailer Carrefour has agreed to buy Grupo Big, Brazil’s third-biggest food retailer, in a deal valuing the Brazilian firm at around $1.3 billion, which Carrefour said would boost its earnings.

Carrefour said on Wednesday that it would buy the company from Walmart and investment firm Advent International.

 

By Sudip Kar-Gupta via Reuters

 

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Brazil’s Patria to launch $250 million SPAC

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – A special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) backed by Brazilian asset manager Patria Investments Ltd plans to raise $250 million in an initial public offering on Nasdaq, according to a securities filing.

Patria, which has Blackstone Group Inc among its investors, said on Friday its executive officers may sponsor the blank-check company Patria Acquisition Co, based in the Cayman Islands, with roughly $92 million.

 

By Carolina Mandl via Reuters

 

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Brazil to complete Angra 3 finance package in 18 months, says BNDES director

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Speaking as part of a high-level panel at World Nuclear Association’s Strategic eForum on Sustainable Finance on 18 March, Mendes Cabral said BNDES is learning lessons from its previous involvement with the Angra 3 project. In addition, it is working to expand its issuance of green bonds to include nuclear energy within a wider, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) framework.

Two nuclear power units – Angra 1 and 2 – supply about 3% of Brazil’s electricity. The units are operated by Eletrobras subsidiary Eletronuclear.

 

Via World Nuclear News

 

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Brazil Tech Round-Up: Digital Identity, EBANX Expands In Central America, Magazine Luiza Continues Shopping Spree

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Welcome to this week’s Brazil tech and innovation round-up. Here is a selection of three key developments in Latin America’s largest economy: first up, the Brazilian government is making inroads towards its digital identity project. Next, fintech unicorn EBANX expands operations in Centra America and retail giant Magazine Luiza makes more acquisitions of startups to bolster its digital strategy.

 

By Angelica Mari via Forbes

 

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Equinor and Partners Choose Concept for Offshore Brazil Field

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Equinor (NYSE: EQNR) reported late last week that a development concept has been approved for the BM-C-33 gas/condensate field in the pre-salt Campos Basin offshore Brazil.

“BM-C-33 is a key project in our portfolio and concept select is an important milestone in our effort to mature the project,” Geir Tungesvik, senior vice president for projects with operator Equinor, remarked in a written statement emailed to Rigzone. “It is important to further optimize and improve the project business case to make it more robust for future market.”

 

By Matthew V. Veazey via Ringzone

 

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IBM Launches Multizone Region in Brazil as Clients in Latin America Adopt Hybrid Cloud

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ARMONK, N.Y., March 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced the opening of its first IBM Cloud Multizone Region (MZR) in Latin America, an important expansion of its global cloud presence in major markets. Building on its existing data center footprint in Brazil, the MZR is a result of the company’s continued investment in cloud infrastructure to accelerate hybrid cloud adoption and help foster business growth in Latin America. Following the openings of Toronto and Osaka last year, the latest MZR in Brazil marks IBM’s ongoing commitment to help clients across the globe deploy mission-critical workloads with high levels of security and resilience, while helping to address data sovereignty requirements and prepare for a sustainable future.

 

Via Yahoo Finance

 

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Microsoft announces Azure availability zones in Brazil

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Microsoft has announced availability zones for the south of Brazil in São Paulo State, as promised in October 2020. The company also promised to expand its zone coverage during 2021.

The announcement is part of Microsoft’s “More Brazil” plan, and comes at the same time IBM is announcing its first multi-zone region in the country. Microsoft is now offering Microsoft 365 Multi-Geo (a data residency offering), and will soon offer the Dynamics 365 and Power Platform products, along with fast ExpressRoute network connections to the Azure cloud.

 

By Peter Judge via DCD

 

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Bumper Crops and Stable Trade Boost Prospects for Brazil Railway

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(Bloomberg) — Brazil’s major railroad operator is bracing for a busier year as easing global trade tensions and expectations of bumper crops boost transportation demand in South America’s farming powerhouse.

Rumo SA, a logistics giant that owns 13,500 kilometers (8,400 miles) of railway lines linking Brazil’s agriculture heartland to the nation’s largest coastal ports, started the year with twice as many contracts to transport agricultural commodities than a year ago, Chief Executive Officer Joao Alberto Abreu said. He sees easing global trade tensions and surging agricultural prices as signs of better times ahead.

 

By Fabiana Batista via Yahoo Finance

 

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Fiocruz Will Deliver First Vaccines Made in Brazil this Week

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After a series of delays, Fiocruz will start delivering its first Covid-19 vaccines produced in Brazil. The forecast is that just over 1 million doses will be sent by this weekend — 500 thousand on Wednesday (17) and another 580 thousand by Friday (19).

The national manufacture of the immunizing agent developed by the University of Oxford and by the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, from imported raw material, was definitively authorized by Anvisa (National Health Surveillance Agency) last Friday (12).

 

By Julia Barbon via Folha de S. Paulo

 

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UPDATE 1-Brazil government raises 2021 inflation forecast to 4.4%

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BRASILIA, March 17 (Reuters) – Brazil’s economy ministry raised its inflation outlook for this year to 4.4% on Wednesday, the same day the central bank is widely expected to raise interest rates for the first time in six years to combat the strong buildup in price pressures.

That is up sharply from the ministry’s previous forecast of 3.2% in November and well above the central bank’s year-end target of 3.75%. It is lower, however, than what many economists are projecting.
By Jamie McGeever via Yahoo Finance

Brazil passes natural gas law to attract investors, cut red tape

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SAO PAULO, March 17 (Reuters) – Brazil’s lower house approved a new regulatory framework for the natural gas sector in the early hours of Wednesday, a move the government hopes will increase competition in the industry.

The bill, which garnered support from industrial consumers, will now be signed into law by President Jair Bolsonaro.

 

By Luciano Costa via Yahoo Finance

 

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Economic activity up 1.04% in Brazil

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Brasília – Economic activity in Brazil was up in January 2021 from December 2020, as per numbers made public this Monday (15) by the Brazilian Central Bank. This was the ninth straight month-on-month increment – the last time activity shrank was in March and April 2020.

The season-adjusted Central Bank’s Economic Activity Index (IBC-Br) was up 1.04% in January from December. Year-on-year in January, it was down 0.46% (non-adjusted, since equal months are being compared). In the 12 months through January, the IBC-Br was down 4.04%.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Brazil Tech Round-Up: Totvs Buys RD Station In Largest-Ever Software Deal, Government Rejects Huawei, São Paulo Vetoes Facial Recognition

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This week has seen the announcement of what is the largest deal ever in the Brazilian software industry, as enterprise software giant Totvsacquired 92% of marketing automation startup RD Station for 1,86 billion (US$ 330 million).

The deal saw founder and chief executive Eric Santos and the four other cofounders Guilherme Lopes, André Siqueira, Bruno Ghisi and Pedro Bachiega selling part of their shares in the company and an exit for Riverwood Capital, TPG, Endeavor Catalyst, DGF, Redpoint ventures and Astella Investments, a pool of backers that owned over 80% of the business.

 

By Angelica Mari via Forbes

 

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Powertis to build 225 MW of PV parks in Brazil

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March 15 (Renewables Now) – Spanish firm Powertis SA has started the construction works on 225 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in the Brazilian states of Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais.

The company, a subsidiary of Soltec Power Holdings SA (BME:SOL), is planning to install two 112.5 MW PV facilities in the municipalities of Pedranopolis and Araxa, local news agencies reported last week.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Brazil evaluating Lightsource BP 163.5-MW PV project for potential loan

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March 12 (Renewables Now) – The Superintendency for the Development of the Northeast (Sudene), a Brazilian governmental agency, has completed the first step in the process to potentially grant a loan for a 163.5-MW photovoltaic (PV) project promoted by Lightsource BP.

Specifically, Sudene approved the prior consultation for five 32.7-MW projects — Milagres I, II, III, IV and V — that would form a solar farm complex in Brazil’s northeastern state of Ceara.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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“2o FESTIVAL MULHERES+ DO AUDIOVISUAL” TERÁ EXIBIÇÃO ONLINE E GRATUITA DE MAIS DE 50 FILMES

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Em março e abril, a Inffinito apresenta no Brasil e nos Estados Unidos produções dirigidas por mulheres brasileiras, que também desempenham as funções de roteiristas, fotógrafas e produtoras

 

A programação conta ainda com lives, debates, masterclasses e oficina de capacitação

 

 

“Elas são mulheres. São diversas. São indígenas, são pretas, brancas, cis, trans. Elas são um universo de possibilidades. É neste encontro de singularidades que formam o olhar feminino do mundo que habitamos e oferecemos para você visitar.

 

Elas são mais de 50 diretoras brasileiras que, nos últimos 5 anos, realizaram filmes em ficção, documentário e animação tratando de uma variedade de temas que representam todas nós.

 

O recorte da curadoria é a potência do talento feminino em toda sua pluralidade, sem amarras ou rótulos.  Queremos dar luz ao olhar da mulher que está atrás das lentes e ocupar nosso espaço em um mercado majoritariamente masculino.”

 

Adriana L. Dutra , Claudia Dutra e Viviane Spinelli

 

See Full Press Release

 

More Information

Brazil approves limited $8bn pandemic spending package

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Brazil’s Congress has approved an $8bn emergency aid package to help deal with a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic that has triggered economic shutdowns across the country.

The package, which is considerably smaller than the $50bn stimulus passed at the beginning of the crisis last year, was welcomed across the political spectrum, with economists and investors lauding its limited impact on Brazil’s growing debt pile.

 

By Bryan Harris and Michael Pooler via Financial Times

 

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As Unemployment Soars In Brazil, Courier-Centric Startup Mottu Attracts Global Tech Investors In New Round

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With unemployment reaching an all-time high of 14% in Brazil, São Paulo-based startup Mottu has attracted a host of global backers in a Series A round intended to accelerate its plan to cater for the needs of gig economy workers.

Mottu is aiming for the scores of Brazilians looking to work as couriers in the booming e-commerce market to make ends meet, but can’t afford the basic equipment to do so. With the goal of “serving the underserved”, the startup rents motorcycles for an average of 25 reais (US$ 4,40) a day to unbanked or credit blacklisted individuals and offers insurance and maintenance, while plugging couriers to a network of marketplaces and retailers looking to boost their last-mile logistics capability.

 

By Angelica Mari via Forbes

 

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Brazil wants to increase manufacturing of fertilizer

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Brasília – Brazil’s government will devise a policy to increase its manufacturing of agricultural fertilizer and minimize reliance on imported products. The country relies for some 80% of its fertilizer needs. An inter-ministerial work group was established to address the topic and met on Tuesday, 9, at Palácio do Planalto.

“Brazil has increased its agricultural output every year but enormously rely on imports of phosphorus and potassium. So, this working group was created,” Agriculture minister Tereza Cristina (pictured above) explained. She addressed the press after a meeting with the National Fertilizer Plan group.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Art for community development

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In underserved communities, adolescents and young people do not have qualified opportunities for work and income. The result is that many of them end up continuing their parents’ cycle of poverty. This one-year project will benefit 110 adolescents from Santa Luzia do Itanhy. It will provide an art & design residence with Ronaldo Fraga (well-known Brazilian stylist) and Miro Dantas (Brazilian artist) to introduce new illustration techniques using digital technologies.

 

By IPTI – Research Organization for Technology and Innovation INC

 

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A new app puts invisible communities in Brazil’s Cerrado on the map

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  • Thousands of Indigenous, quilombola, and traditional communities live in the Cerrado, the world’s most biodiverse tropical savanna. But many lack access to official titles and deeds, and are not registered on official maps.
  • As the agricultural frontier pushes into the northern part of the savanna, land-grabbing and violent attacks are increasing. Many of these communities risk losing their land and their resources uoon which they depend.
  • Now, a new smartphone app developed in collaboration with communities in the northern Cerrado and two Brazilian NGOs allows communities themselves to register their lands on the app, as well as important local sites and conflicts with farmers and land-grabbers.
  • The developers of the app aim to halt the rapid and unequal development that threatens the lives and livelihoods of those working to protect the savanna, and ultimately help conserve the last remaining tracts of native Cerrado.

By Sarah Sax via Mongabay

 

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Balancing economic growth and the environment: lessons from Brazil

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In many ways, Brazil is a global leader in the energy transition. Coupled with a strong domestic oil and gas sector that makes up almost 11% of its economy, more than 46% of Brazil’s energy mix is powered by renewable energy sources and Brazil also has the third- largest renewable electricity generation capacity globally. Last year, the World Economic Forum’s Energy Transition Index ranked Brazil at 45th out of 115 countries, driven by its strong performance in in areas such as near-universal energy access and access to clean cooking fuels, a high degree of energy security and the relatively low carbon-intensity of its energy mix.

 

By Stephanie Jamison and Roberto Bocca via World Economic Forum

 

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Brazil’s Renova gets DIP loan for 400-MW wind project

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March 8 (Renewables Now) – Brazilian renewables developer Renova Energia SA (BVMF:RNEW11) has received a BRL-362.5-million (USD 63.7m/EUR 53.4m) debtor-in-possession (DIP) loan to complete the 400-MW Phase A of the Alto Sertao III wind power complex.

The financing came from a bank credit note structured by Brazilian independent resource manager Quadra Gestao de Recursos Ltda, contracted by the company’s subsidiary Chipley SP Participacoes SA, Renova announced last week.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Brazil’s innovation ecosystem holds strong on global index amid challenging year for many countries

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BRASÍLIA, Brazil, March 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Apex-Brasil, the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, today shared that Brazil was able to maintain its overall rank on the 2021 Bloomberg Innovation Index during an extraordinary year. For the second year in a row, Brazil sustained a rank of 46th out of the world’s 131 most innovative countries and economies, performing particularly well in certain specialized sectors measured, such as manufacturing and productivity – solidifying the country’s innovation economy at a crucial moment in time.

During a year when innovation was, arguably, more important than ever before, Brazil’s consistency on the Bloomberg Innovation Index is a positive sign for the future. This is underscored by many countries decreasing in their innovation rank over the past year, largely due to business ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Bloomberg, which uses seven weighted metrics to review dozens of criteria in assembling the Innovation Index.

 

Via PR Newswire

 

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BRAZIL FEEDS SOME 10% OF WORLD’S POPULATION, RESEARCH FINDS

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SAO PAULO, March 4 (Reuters) – Farmers in Brazil fed some 10% of the world’s 7.76 billion population last year, a study released on Thursday by state-run agricultural research agency Embrapa found.

The study focused on Brazil’s grains and oilseeds production as these are considered basic food staples that can be either used for direct human consumption or as animal feed for meat processing, Embrapa’s statement said.

 

By Gabriel Araujo via Successful Farming

 

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Staples drove exports from Brazil during the pandemic

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Brasília – Exports from Brazil proved relatively resilient amid the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, underpinned by stronger sales of staple goods. According to the Brazilian Central Bank, a hike in exports of soya, especially in Midwest Brazil, and iron ore, in the North, whose prices went up.

Exports of manufactured goods slowed down, as a result of the global economic slump, and this impacted predominantly the Southeast and South. A Central Bank analysis of exports was made public this Thursday (4) alongside its regional reports.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Massive stimulus helps Brazil to limit losses

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The Brazilian economy contracted 4.1 per cent last year, one of the most resilient performances in Latin America, after a massive fiscal stimulus package tempered the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Official data released on Wednesday showed that the Brazilian economy grew 3.2 per cent in the fourth quarter last year from the previous quarter, when it expanded 7.7 per cent. That left the Brazilian economy 1.1 per cent smaller than it was in the fourth quarter of 2019, before the pandemic spread globally.

 

By Bryan Harris via Financial Times

 

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Ports in Brazil handled 1 billion tons in 2020

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São Paulo – Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, cargo throughput at ports in Brazil was up 4.2% in 2020 from 2019 to 1.15 billion tons, as per an annual statistical report released this week by the National Agency for Waterway Transportation (Antaq).

The numbers include throughput at state-run and private ports combined. State-run units accounted for 34% of throughput, while private facilities handled 66%. The majority of cargo – 775.5 million tons – was outgoing, i.e., exports, whereas 377.2 million was incoming, i.e., imports .

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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UPDATE 1-Brazil real slide not justified by fundamentals, central bank president says

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BRASILIA, March 2 (Reuters) – Brazil’s real has suffered more than other emerging currencies as investors adjust to changing liquidity conditions globally, but some of it has not been justified by economic fundamentals, central bank President Roberto Campos Neto said on Tuesday.

Speaking in an online event hosted by Arko Advice and Empiricus, Campos Neto said the central bank has large currency reserves and will continue to act as it sees fit, adding that it remains focused on using all the tools at its disposal to meet it inflation goals.

 

By Jamie McGeever and Gabriel Ponte via Reuters

 

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Brazil may host $5.4bn green hydrogen plant

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Australia-based hydrogen specialist Enegix Energy is planning to build a green hydrogen plant on 500 hectares of commercial land in the Port of Pecém, in the Brazilian, northeastern state of Ceará.

The company said that a memorandum of understanding for the ‘Base One’ project was signed in mid-February with the state governor Camilo Santana and that the planned facility should generate over 600 million kilograms of green hydrogen per year. “Enegix’s planned next-generation facility will be run completely using renewable energy, with zero emissions, and will harness the great renewable energy potential that Ceará has available, with solar and onshore and offshore wind to be realized, allowing Base One to be expanded to over 100 GW to meet global demand,” the Australian company said in a statement.

 

By Emiliano Bellini via PV Magazine

 

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Brazil to deliver 140 mln vaccines by end-May – lower house speaker

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BRASILIA, March 1 (Reuters) – Brazil’s Health Ministry will deliver 140 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines between now and the end of May, lower house speaker Arthur Lira said on Monday, without giving details on where they will come from.

Speaking in an interview with TV Record and later confirming on his Twitter account, Lira also said emergency monthly cash transfers to millions of poor Brazilians of 250 reais ($45) will be made through June.

 

By Lisandra Paraguassu via Yahoo Finance

 

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MercadoLibre to Invest Record $1.8 Billion in Brazil

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Latin American e-commerce powerhouse MercadoLibre Inc. is more than doubling its Brazilian investment this year, planning to deploy in 2021 the same amount it spent in the past four years combined.

The firm plans to pour a record 10 billion reais ($1.8 billion) into Brazil in 2021, up from 4 billion reais last year, to be spent mostly on expanding its logistics network, said Commerce President Stelleo Tolda in an interview with Bloomberg News. Investments in other Latin American markets should also grow, he added, without providing a full figure for the region.

 

By Vinicius Andrade via Bloomberg

 

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Report: Brazilian Consumers Think Digital And Want Merchants To Do The Same

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Brazil is known for its vibrant music culture, love of soccer and for being the largest country in Latin America in terms of both population and geography. The nation has other notable — if less conspicuous — distinctions, however: a widespread embrace of smartphones and a rapidly developing digital payments infrastructure.

These conditions help explain why the pandemic-driven digital shift that is transforming retail in advanced economies around the world has been a catalyst for major changes in Brazil as well. The nation’s consumers, much as those in other markets, have sought to avoid crowded stores and engage in safer, more efficient and more satisfying ways to shop. The share of Brazilian consumers who consider digital channels to be their preferred means of shopping has grown by more than 30 percent since the pandemic began and now accounts for 46 percent of its consumers overall.

 

Via Pymnts

 

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Brazil’s trade with Arab countries up 17%

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São Paulo – Brazil’s trade with the Arab countries climbed 17.3% in January from a year ago. The total amount reached USD 1.22 billion, and Brazil ran a USD 563.31-million surplus. The figures were made public by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC).

Year on year, Brazil’s revenue from exports to the Arab countries climbed 7.4% to USD 891.85 million, keeping the Arab bloc as the 3rd largest destination of sales from Brazil, only behind China and the United States.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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UPDATE 1-Brazil unemployment rate falls to 13.9% in quarter through December

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BRASILIA, Feb 26 (Reuters) – Brazil’s unemployment rate ended last year at 13.9%, figures showed on Friday, extending a recent dip as workers returning to the labor market found jobs, but the average jobless rate in 2020 was the highest since comparable records began in 2012.

That was down from 14.1% in the three months to November, statistics agency IBGE said, in line with the median forecast in a Reuters poll of economists and slipping further from the record 14.6% in the three months to September.
By Jamie McGeever via Yahoo Finance

Arabs the 2nd largest destination of food items from Brazil

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São Paulo – Exports from the Brazilian food and beverage industry to the Arab countries were down 8.7% in 2020 from the previous year. The bloc purchased USD 6.19 billion worth in products last year. Despite the decline, the Arabs remain as the second largest purchasing market of Brazil’s food industry, only behind Asia. The figures were made public on Wednesday (24) by the Brazilian Food Industry Association (ABIA).

The Brazilian food industry’s top purchasing countries include Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which ranked 6th and 8th, respectively. “There’s a major focus on Asia and the Arab countries, where we have decades-long partnerships and there’s a very fruitful, complementary economy, and we still have many opportunities to tap into,” ABIA board chair Grazielle Parenti said during a press conference.

 

By Thaís Sousa via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Brazil’s RecargaPay Raises $70 Million To Expand Payments App

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Brazil’s RecargaPay has raised $70 million in a Series C funding round to expand its payments platform for consumers and small businesses. The funding round, led by IDC Ventures and Fuel Venture Capital, brings RecargaPay’s total funding to over $100 million. Other investors include Experian, LUN Partners and ATW, according to a press release.

“Founded in Brazil in 2010, RecargaPay set out to provide a comprehensive and user-friendly financial services ecosystem that would be accessible even to people who do not have bank accounts,” the press release reads. The company’s goal is to “democratize access to digital financial services for millions of new users.” PYMNTS recently noted that more than 45 million adults in Brazil remain unbanked. The firm will also use the funding to further develop Prime+, its subscription program.

 

Via Pymnts

 

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Brazil current account deficit 0.65% of GDP, smallest in 13 years

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s current account deficit in the year to January as a share of the overall economy shrank to its smallest in 13 years, official figures showed on Wednesday, thanks mainly to a decline in the primary income and services deficits in the month.

The current account deficit of 0.65% of gross domestic product in the 12 months to January was down from 0.87% the previous month and the smallest since February, 2008, central bank figures showed.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Reuters

 

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Brazil’s consumer confidence rises in February for first time in five months

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Consumer confidence in Brazil rose in February for the first time in five months, a survey indicated on Wednesday, lifted by the start of a nationwide vaccination program against COVID-19 and prospects of the government resuming emergency income transfers to the poor.

The rise was most pronounced among consumers in the lowest income bracket, although the overall level of confidence was still below that registered at the end of last year, the Getulio Vargas Foundation’s (FGV) findings showed.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Reuters

 

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UPDATE 1-Brazil steelmaker CSN plans to raise prices by 25% in Q2

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SAO PAULO, Feb 23 (Reuters) – Brazilian steelmaker CompanhiaSiderúrgica Nacional (CSN) said on Tuesday that itexpects to raise its prices by an average of 25% in the secondquarter as it moves to shrink its debt.

CSN Chief Executive Benjamin Steinbruch said in a call toanalysts that believes the steelmaker’s debt rating could beupgraded in “weeks” as the company plans to reach itsdeleveraging goal in 45 days.
By Alberto Alerigi and Paula Laier via Yahoo Finance

Twitter starts rolling out Voice DM feature in India, Brazil and Japan

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Twitter on Wednesday announced it is testing voice messages in direct messages (DMs) up to 140-seconds long in India.

The experiment will be rolled out in phases to the audiences, making India one of three countries to have access to the feature, alongside Brazil and Japan.

According to the company, voice messages in DMs will make it easier for people to have conversations.

 

Via Business Insider India

 

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Brazil’s Santa Catarina gives prelim licence for 256.5-MW wind project

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February 22 (Renewables Now) – Brazil’s Santa Catarina State Environmental Institute (IMA) granted on Friday the preliminary environmental licence (LAP) for a 256.5-MW wind project.

The Calmon Wind Complex, as it is named, will require around BRL 1 billion (USD 185.7m/EUR 153.3m) in investments for the construction of 11 wind parks in total. Installation works will take 34 months, IMA estimates.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Brazil Internet of Things Market, Competition, Forecast & Opportunities, 2021-2026

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DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The “Brazil Internet of Things Market by Platform (Device Management, Network Management and Application Management), by Component (Hardware, Services and Software), by Application, by Region, Competition, Forecast & Opportunities, 2026” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

The Brazilian Internet of Things Market stood at USD 5.67 Billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at CAGR of 18.99% in the next five years to reach USD 16.43 Billion by 2026 on account of increase in adoption of cloud-based platforms, development of wireless networking technologies and surge in number of connected devices.

 

Via Business Wire

 

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Softbank leads $83 mln investment in Brazil education startup Descomplica

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SAO PAULO, Feb 18 (Reuters) – A group of investors led by Softbank Group has invested 450 million reais ($83 million) in Brazilian test-prep startup Descomplica, which has seen demand for its online learning services surge in the pandemic, the company said on Thursday.

Descomplica said it would use the funds to make acquisitions and develop new products, including 33 new courses by next year.

 

Via Reuters

 

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Four Brazil companies file for IPOs in flotation flurry

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SAO PAULO, Feb 18 (Reuters) – Four Brazilian companies filed for initial public offerings on Thursday, securities filings showed, adding to a flurry of flotations expected in the coming weeks and months.

The companies are online retailer Privalia, hospital Mater Dei, biofuel company FS and financial and automotive group Rodobens.
By Aluisio Pereira via Nasdaq

Partnership for first biologicals collaboration in Brazil

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Corteva Agriscience and Simbiose Agro, the largest producer of microbiological technologies in Brazil, announced today a multi-year collaboration benefiting Brazilian farmers.

Working closely together, the two companies will commercialize and develop Simbiose’s portfolio and pipeline of biostimulants and biological control solutions for crops such as sugarcane, soybeans, corn and other specialties. Additional details of the agreement were not disclosed.

 

Via Horti Daily

 

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Brazil: Industry 4.0 And Intellectual Property In Brazil

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The great technological advances of the last few decades, added to the world communication revolution with the popularisation of the internet, have resulted in an increase in data flows and the immediate transmission of information on a global scale. This scenario has allowed data to be elevated to the category of an essential economic asset, so that digitalisation has gained increasingly more space on the industrial development agenda.

Industry is extremely relevant in the Brazilian economic scenario. It currently represents 20.9% of national GDP, accounts for 70.1% of exports of goods and services, in addition to representing 72.2% of business investment in research and development (R&D) and 33% of federal taxes, not including social security revenues1.

 

By Bianca Kremer and Gustavo Piva de Andrade via Mondaq

 

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Cloud-focused company aims for growth in Brazil

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Claranet, a technology multinational focused on managed cloud services, has announced an investment of $100 million in its Brazil operation.

According to Brazilian technology site Tele.Síntese, the investment will support three aims: to continue with accelerated organic growth, which is claimed to have reached 37 per cent year on year over the past five years; to invest in improving internal performance; and to enable the acquisition of other companies in the sector.

 

By Vaughan O’Grady via Developing Telecoms

 

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Faro Energy to build 2.5 MW of PV plants in Brazil for retailer C&A

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February 16 (Renewables Now) – Faro Energy, a distributed solar company with global headquarters in London, and Brazilian retailer C&A Modas SA (BVMF:CEAB3) have signed a contract for the development of 2.5 MW of solar projects in Brazil.

Faro Energy plans to build two photovoltaic (PV) parks consisting of around 7,000 solar panels. The systems are expected to be up and running in the first half of 2021 and power 11 of C&A’s stores in the country’s capital Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro state.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Brazil surpasses 4.7 GW of DG solar

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February 11 (Renewables Now) – Brazil’s installed solar distributed generation (DG) capacity has surpassed 4.7 GW, statistics by power sector regulator Aneel show.

The total DG capacity across the country went over 4.9 GW, as of Wednesday night, according to Aneel’s almost real-time update, with solar power being the most popular source, counting 401,199 grid-connected systems.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Nokia backs a 5G Open RAN future for Brazil

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Nokia is furthering its Open RAN ambitions with a new partnership with the CPQD in Brazil, aiming to co-develop new 5G use cases for the new technology. These new use cases include fixed wireless access (FWA), smart cities, IoT for Industry 4.0, and critical networks, all of which will be customised specifically to the needs of the Brazilian market.
“This important partnership will explore the potential for innovative 5G use cases that will have real-world value in Brazil across a range of different areas, such as smart cities and fixed wireless access. Our RAN Intelligent Controller will play a critical role in this research, helping to explore and trial new cutting-edge use cases that will put Brazil at the forefront in the 5G era,” said Ari Kynäslahti, Head of Technology and Strategy at Nokia Mobile Networks.
By Harry Baldock via Total Telecom

Brazil farmers harvest 4% of soy area, a quarter of last year’s total – AgRural

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Drier weather in parts of Brazil’s Center-West allowed the 2020/2021 soybean harvest to gather momentum last week after disruptions caused by excessive rainfall, according to agribusiness consultancy AgRural.

As of Feb. 4, Brazilian farmers had managed to double the area harvested to 4%, from 2% in the previous week. Yet harvesting is still way behind historical averages for this time of the season, the consultancy said.

 

Via Hellenic Shipping News

 

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Brazil passes law giving autonomy to central bank

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Lawmakers in Brazil have voted to grant autonomy to the central bank in a move aimed at improving the country’s reputation among international investors by removing the risk of political interference in monetary policy.

The legislation was approved by federal deputies in the lower house of Congress on Wednesday, after an almost year-long delay following the coronavirus crisis and local elections.

 

By Michael Pooler and Bryan Harris

 

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Luiza Helena Trajano reúne empresários e lança movimento Unidos pela Vacina

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Luiza Helena Trajano, presidente do conselho do Magazine Luiza, decidiu começar o ano unindo um grupo de empresários para tirar do papel o movimento Unidos pela Vacina. Com o objetivo de imunizar todos os brasileiros contra a Covid-19 até setembro, o grupo pretende contribuir para que não haja entraves no transporte da vacina para todos os cantos do país.

A empresária conta que a ideia surgiu no final do ano passado, com a campanha de conscientização Vacina para Todos, do Grupo Mulheres do Brasil – do qual ela também é presidente. “A partir dali, tentamos entender como poderíamos ajudar e concluímos que era preciso partir para uma ação efetiva. Foi quando esse movimento passou por uma transformação. Trouxemos mais parceiros, como empresários e executivos de diferentes setores e organizações não governamentais. Assim surgiu o Unidos pela Vacina”, explica.

 

By Beatriz Calais via Forbes Brasil

 

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Saudi Arabia’s poultry imports from Brazil up

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São Paulo – Poultry exports from Brazil slid in January 2021. Nevertheless, some of the leading Arab importers stepped up their purchases. The Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA) reported 35,800 tons shipped to Saudi Arabia, up 2%, with revenue climbing 4% to USD 58.5 million year-on-year in January.

Saudi Arabia was the premier Arab importer of poultry from Brazil in January. The UAE ranked second at 21,700 tons, up 3%, fetching USD 32.8 million, down 2%.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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UPDATE 2-Brazil inflation slows in January, but 4.5% annual rate remains punchy

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BRASILIA, Feb 9 (Reuters) – Monthly inflation in Brazilslowed in January as a sharp fall in electricity prices draggeddown housing costs, official figures showed on Tuesday, but theannual rate of inflation remained high and significantly abovethe central bank’s year-end goal.

It was the third month in a row the benchmark annual IPCAconsumer inflation rate has been above 4%, having more thandoubled from the record low below 2% last May.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Yahoo Finance

 

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Brazil to test COVID-19 vaccination on city’s entire adult population

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazilian biomedical institute Butantan plans to vaccinate a city’s entire adult population of about 30,000 people against COVID-19 to test whether it lowers the infection rate, institute and government officials said on Monday.

Butantan, which is overseen by the Sao Paulo state government, will carry out the mass vaccination study in Serrana, a city in the interior of the state that has a high infection rate, according to a statement and news briefing.

 

By Reuters

 

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Brazil gets first active ingredients for AstraZeneca vaccine from China

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RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – A first shipment of 88 liters of active ingredients to make AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine in Brazil arrived from China on Saturday, essential input to speed the country’s troubled vaccination program.

With those supplies flown into Rio de Janeiro on a cargo plane, the Fiocruz biomedical center can begin filling and finishing 2.8 million doses. The federally funded center expects to receive more ingredients this month to make a total of 15 million shots of the vaccine developed with Oxford University.

 

By Sergio Queiroz via Reuters

 

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Open Banking Intro, Safer Internet Day 2021, Indústria 4.0, CannaBusiness Summit Brazil 2021 & Muito Mais

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A Matera, empresa de desenvolvimento de tecnologia para o mercado financeiro, fintechs e gestão de riscos, realiza a live “Open Banking Intro” logo mais, às10h30, com a participação especial do Banco Central. O objetivo é reunir especialistas para esclarecer as principais características do open banking, para que seus impactos e oportunidades sejam visualizados com mais clareza. Entre os speakers, estarão Carlos Netto, CEO da Matera, João André Pereira, chefe do Departamento de Regulação do Sistema Financeiro do Banco Central, Márcio Alexandre, superintendente de governança de TI e segurança cibernética do Sicoob, e Fabiano Amaro, consultor de negócios da Matera. A mediação da conversa fica a cargo de Alexandre Pinto, diretor de inovação e novos negócios da empresa. A inscrição é gratuita.

 

Via Forbes Brazil

 

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7 Absolutely Beautiful Places In Brazil

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Brazil is a country of superlatives. The world’s fifth-largest country, it makes up nearly 50 percent of the South American continent and has 4,000 airports. Its main river, the Amazon, is the world’s largest by volume, growing up to 30 miles wide during the rainy season. Brazil has 21 UNESCO World Heritage sites and is one of the most bio-diverse countries in the world, with some four million plant and animal species, and new ones being discovered nearly daily. Its 3,287,597 square miles encompass cities, beaches, mountains, plains, forests, and every other habitat you could possibly think of.

Even if you lived in Brazil for 10 lifetimes and explored ceaselessly, you’d never see it all. What you can do though, is to try and see some of the most beautiful spots spread across the vastness. As beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the definition of beauty varies greatly, I have chosen a mix of a little bit of every kind of beauty for you to pick and choose to visit next time you get down to Brazil.

 

By Ulrike Lemmin-Woolfrey

 

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Vehicle exports from Brazil up in January

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São Paulo – Vehicle exports from Brazil were up 21.9% year on year in January, National Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association (Anfavea) reported on Thursday (4). Car sales reached 25,000 units last month. Month on month, though, they declined by 35.8%.

The same occurred with Brazilian vehicle production in January: it climbed year on year, but slid month on month. It was down 4.6% in January, from 209,300 to 1997,700 units. Year on year, it climbed by 4.3%.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Neoenergia looks to MPLS for smart grid expansion in Brazil

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Brazilian electricity company Neoenergia is modernising its communication networks with MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching).

Neoenergia is to adopt MPLS in the networks of its four distribution concessionaries, Celpe in Pernambuco state, Coelba in Bahia, Cosern in Rio Grande do Norte and Elektro in São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul.

 

Via Smart Energy

 

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GREENSPOON MARDER CELEBRATES FORTY YEARS IN BUSINESS

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Fort Lauderdale, Fla. January 28, 2021 – Greenspoon Marder is pleased to announce that the firm is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2021.

Founded in 1981 with a handshake over a kitchen table between Gerald Greenspoon and Michael Marder, Greenspoon Marder today is a leading Am Law 200 law firm. The firm first opened its doors in North Miami, and has since expanded to 11 offices in Florida, and more than a dozen additional locations including New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Las Vegas, and Portland.

Greenspoon Marder first gained national attention in real estate development, resort and timeshare development, condominium conversions, and finance and transactions. The firm has grown to offer a wide array of legal services with core strengths in real estate, litigation, timeshare & resort, corporate, tax, and regulatory compliance.

 

Read full press release here

Brazil favelas launch bank amid economic hit of pandemic

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The economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic has hit especially hard in Brazil’s favelas, but the country’s 10 biggest slums now have a plan to fight back: they are launching their own bank.

Dubbed the “G10 Bank,” the new financial institution is set to open later this month, offering micro-loans to small business owners struggling to survive the pandemic and debit cards to slum-dwellers excluded from the traditional banking system.

 

By Florence Goisnard via Yahoo Finance

 

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Programa Prefeito Amigo da Criança

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A campanha Prefeito Presente reforça o nosso objetivo de construir um Brasil onde todas as crianças e todos os adolescentes tenham seus direitos respeitados.

Sabemos que muitas vezes o Estado* é ausente na garantia de necessidades básicas. Por isso, queremos convocar os prefeitos de todo o país a fazerem parte do Programa Prefeito Amigo da Criança, implementando ações que garantam e permitam que as crianças e os adolescentes sejam protagonistas de suas próprias histórias.

 

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Brazil maker of Sputnik V vaccine sees greenlight on tests by next week

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – The Brazilian pharmaceutical company that will make Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 expects regulatory approval for Phase III tests by this week or early next at the latest, its Chief Executive Officer Fernando Marques said on Tuesday.

Marques said the strong efficacy results from late stage trials in Russia, published on Tuesday by The Lancet – 91.6% effective against symptomatic COVID-19 – will help speed up approval in Brazil sought by his firm União Quimica.

 

By Anthony Boadle and Tatiana Bautzer via Reuters

 

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Number of new businesses up in Brazil

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Brasília – The number of new businesses in Brazil was up 6% in 2020 from 2019, according to the annual Business Map bulleting from the Brazilian Ministry of Economy. Last year saw 3,359,750 enterprises open in Brazil. The number of companies that went out of business is 1,044,696, resulting in 2.3 million active enterprises in the country. The number of companies that ceased to exist was down 11.3%.

According to the Ministry, the number reflects government measures designed to facilitate startups amid the Covid-19 pandemic, which led many to seek an income through entrepreneurship. The majority of active enterprises in Brazil – nearly 50% – are in the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Open Banking kicks off in Brazil

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Today (1) the first of four phases of Brazil’s Open Banking implementation has started, as part of the country’s broader agenda of modernization of the national financial ecosystem.

The initiative, led by the Central Bank of Brazil, also aims to boost market competition and increase financial education in the Latin American country. Under the model, use of open application programming interfaces (APIs) enable third-party developers to build applications and services around the participating financial institutions, with consumer data shared with their consent.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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2021 Will Be a Key Year for Brazil’s Fiscal Reform Agenda

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Fitch Ratings-New York/London-01 February 2021: Brazil’s large deficit and high public debt burden underscore its continuing fiscal challenges notwithstanding last year’s somewhat better-than-expected performance, Fitch Ratings says. With general elections due in October 2022, this year is a key year to revitalize the government’s fiscal reform agenda for boosting budgetary flexibility and maintaining the credibility of the spending cap.

Data on Friday showed Brazil’s general government deficit more than doubled to 14% of GDP from about 6% in 2019. This was better than our forecast of 16.4% primarily due to under-execution of budgeted spending, which improved the central government outturn, and higher regional government surpluses. Central government revenue contracted by a nominal 10.2%, while primary spending grew 35% as Brazil implemented one of Latin America’s biggest Covid-19 support packages.

 

By Shelly Shetty and Mark Brown via Fitch Ratings

 

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Petrobras makes hydrocarbons discovery in block C-M-411 offshore Brazil

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Brazilian state-owned oil firm Petróleo Brasileiro (Petrobras) has made a hydrocarbon discovery in the wildcat well of block C-M-411 in the pre-salt Campos Basin offshore in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state.

The hydrocarbon discovery was made at the well 1-BRSA-1377-RJS, informally known as Urissanê. It is located approximately 200km from the coast and at a water depth of 2,950m.

 

Via Offshore Technology

 

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Brazil’s railway sector expects USD 6 bn in investments

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São Paulo – Brazil’s railway sector expects a BRL 30 billion (USD 6 billion) in investments. This figure is particularly due to the renewal of concessions in some important lines. “It’s actually a conservative forecast, due to the renewal of contracts,” Brazil’s National Association of Rail Carriers (ANTF) executive director Fernando Paes told ANBA.

ANTF points out that these early contract extensions only could yield around BRL 30 billion. The renewals approved by the Investment Partnership Program (PPI) are expected to increase the share of the rail sector from 15% to 31% of all transportation in the country. “On one hand, we have this schedule of contract extensions. On the other, many of these companies are publicly traded,” Paes explained on other possibilities of new investors.

 

By Thais Sousa via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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The Best National Parks To Visit In Brazil

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Editor’s Note: *Due to the current Covid-19 outbreak, international travel is discouraged at the moment – this article is meant to serve as inspiration for a future trip once the pandemic has come to an end.*

A nation rich in culture, biodiversity, and natural beauty, there’s no shortage of spectacular destinations to visit all throughout Brazil. While many visitors choose to spend time celebrating Carnival in the streets of Rio, those who wish to experience the wild side of Brazil may be interested in a trek across some of the country’s most stunning national parks. From surging rivers to colossal canyons, the natural beauty of Brazil is truly a sight to behold.

 

By Jared Ranahan via Forbes

 

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Brazil to roll out national fertilizer plan

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São Paulo – Brazil’s federal government announced a new National Fertilizer Plan. A decree made public early this week on the Official Gazette mandates the establishment of a work group to devise the strategy.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply said the effort is intended to increase manufacturing and availability of domestically made fertilizer, to minimize reliance on imported product, and to add competitiveness to Brazilian agribusiness products in international markets. According to the Ministry, Brazil relies on imports for some 60% of its fertilizer needs.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Brazil expects to produce 14,5 million tonnes of chicken in 2021

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The Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA) forecast estimates a domestic per capita consumption of 47 kilos, up 4.4% from in 2020 (45 kilos), but on the export front, no numbers are stated. However, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates a year-on-year increase of 2.1% in Brazilian exports compared 2020. Last year, Brazil exported 4,23 million tonnes of chicken meat.

 

By Daniel Azevedo via Poultry World

 

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Brazil ran a USD 6 bn surplus in trade with Arab League

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São Paulo – Brazil ran a USD 6.1 billion surplus in trade with the Arab League in 2020. The surplus is the difference between exports and imports. The result accounts for 12.2% of the USD 50 billion all-time record surplus Brazil reached throughout the year. It’s also a 16.2% increase from the surplus reached in Brazil-Arab League trade in 2019, as per figures from the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce(ABCC).

The entity reports that Brazil’s exports to the bloc of 22 countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) generated USD 11.47 billion in revenue, down 6.3% from 2019. The decline, however, was lower than in other relevant trade partnerships, such as the United States (-23.7%) and Mercosur (-17.7%).

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Brazil’s Cade okays AES’ acquisition of 158.5-MW wind portfolio

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January 26 (Renewables Now) – Brazil’s competition regulator CADE has okayed the acquisition of a 158.5-MW wind portfolio by local power producer AES Brasil (B3:TIET11), formerly AES Tiete Energia SA.

The deal, approved without restrictions, is valued at BRL 806 million (USD 147.4m/EUR 121.4m), including BRL 277 million of net debt, AES Brasil said previously.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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REFILE-Sea group’s Shopee scales up Brazil operations, eyes Latam potential- sources

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SINGAPORE, Jan 25 (Reuters) – Shopee, the e-commerce arm of Southeast Asia’s Sea Ltd, is scaling up its operations in Brazil and evaluating the long-term potential of Latin American markets, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

Shopee, the largest e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia according to market researchers, launched a small presence in Brazil in late 2019 as a pilot initiative of its cross-border team.

 

By Fanny Potkin via Yahoo Finance

 

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Brazil rate outlook rises after cenbank drops forward guidance – survey

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BRASILIA, Jan 25 (Reuters) – The outlook for Brazilian interest rates over the next two years rose to their highest in many months, a central bank survey of economists showed on Monday, following the bank’s decision last week to drop its ‘forward guidance’ pledge to keep them low for a long time.

The average forecast of the benchmark Selic rate at the end of this year rose to 3.50% from 3.25%, and the end-2022 forecast rose to 5.00% from 4.75%, according to the latest weekly ‘FOCUS’ survey of around 100 economists.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Yahoo Finance

 

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Engie contracts Siemens Gamesa to supply turbines for Brazil wind farm

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Renewables company Engie has signed a contract with Siemens Gamesa to supply supply turbines for a wind farm in Brazil.

Under the contract, the company will supply 70 of its SG 5.8-170 turbines with OptimaFlex technology. These will generate energy at the 434MW Santo Agostinho wind farm in north-east Rio Grande do Norte.

 

Via Power Technology

 

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Brazil Senate Willing to Discuss New Round of Covid Assistance

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Senators are likely to consider a new round of financial help for vulnerable Brazilians as soon as a new head of the upper house is elected in February, with one of the candidates for the job defending an urgent discussion about the theme and another saying she wouldn’t oppose the idea either.

Senator Rodrigo Pacheco, the front-runner in the race, on Wednesday said that if elected he would immediately start a discussion about what to do with this “part of the population living in extreme poverty, whose situation was aggravated by the pandemic.”

 

By Samy Adghirni and Simone Preissler Iglesias

 

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The pandemic has led many to swap urban living and working for more rural environments. But what happens when you try to do it in a developing nation?

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Leonardo de Azevedo decided to move to the countryside with his wife and two small children in May. The family ended up in a rural area, Lumiar, near the city of Nova Friburgo, about 150km (93mi) from the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, where Azevedo works in the public prosecutor’s office. The idea was to get closer to nature, allow the children more freedom and seek greater security against the pandemic.

But the region had no broadband internet, leaving him dependent on mobile internet that came with speed and data limits. And, when his son had an accident and had to go to A&E, “we found out that in Nova Friburgo no service accepted our health plan”; they were forced to travel back to Rio de Janeiro for treatment.

 

By Raphael Tsavkko Garcia via BBC

 

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Majority of Brazil’s connected population uses digital citizen services

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The Brazilian government estimates that more than 60% of the country’s connected population – about 84 million people – is using digital citizen services.

The latest numbers from the Digital Government Secretariat (DGS) at the Ministry of Economy are based on research from the National Internet Steering Committee, which estimates that currently 134 million Brazilians have access to the Internet.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Brazil braced for IPO spree this year after bumper 2020

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Brazil’s stock market is gearing up for another rush of flotations in 2021, after an army of new investors helped spur the strongest year for initial public offerings in more than a decade.

An iron ore miner, a crematorium operator and an online furniture seller are among a list of 41 companies that have announced their intention to debut on São Paulo’s B3 exchange, which in spite of the Covid-19 pandemic chalked up 28 IPOs last year — the biggest number since 2007’s all-time record of 64.

 

By Michael Pooler via Financial Times

 

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BNDES okays funding for 40-MW biomass power plant in Brazil

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January 20 (Renewables Now) – Brazil’s National Development Bank (BNDES) has approved financing of BRL 941.6 million (USD 177m/EUR 146m) for the construction of a 40-MW biomass power plant and several upgrades planned by Grupo Sao Martinho SA (BVMF:SMTO3).

Named UTE Sao Martinho Bioenergia, the new biomass plant will use sugarcane bagasse as fuel. Located in the municipality of Pradopolis, Sao Paulo state, Sao Martinho should be able to generate some 210,000 MWh per year.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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OVERVIEW – Brazil’s ageing hydro infrastructure is solar’s economic opportunity

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January 20 (Renewables Now) – Brazil, the world’s second-largest producer of hydroelectric power, has an energy problem. While hydropower accounted for 70% of the country’s electricity generation in 2018, its primary source of renewable power is becoming less effective than it once was. Brazil needs to urgently diversify its energy mix to counter the power outages that are becoming a feature of daily life.

 

By Jamie MacDonald-Murray via Renewables Now

 

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Brazil’s Solarian Energy connects 5-MW solar plant in Sao Paulo

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January 19 (Renewables Now) – Brazilian solar energy firm Solarian Energy announced recently it has commenced the commercial operation of a 4.9-MW solar plant in Sao Paulo state.

The UFV Salto de Pirapora II, as the photovoltaic (PV) plant is named, is the company’s first to use solar trackers. It required an investment of BRL 17 million (USD 3.2m/EUR 2.6m) made in partnership with an unnamed foreign fund.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Brazil to kick off COVID-19 vaccination plan

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São Paulo – Brazilian health regulator Anvisa approved emergency use of CoronaVac and the Oxford vaccine in Brazil. The first is produced by São Paulo’s Butantan medical center that is partnered with China’s Sinovac, while the latter was developed by AstraZeneca and the Oxford University with federally funded Fiocruz institute.

The decision was disclosed on Sunday (17) and, minutes later, Monica Calazans (pictured above), a nurse in São Paulo’s Emílio Ribas infectology hospital, became the first person to be inoculated in the country, receiving the Butantan’s vaccine, the Federal Nursing Service Council reported.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Brazil to be first country to get Covid vaccine from India, SII will supply 2 million doses

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New Delhi: Brazil is all set to become the first country in the world that will receive two million doses of Covishield from India next week that will be flown directly from Mumbai to Rio de Janeiro via a special flight, ThePrint has learnt.

The Jair Bolsonaro administration will be procuring the vaccine at a “special rate” under a deal that was finalised between the Brazilian government and Pune’s Serum Institute of India (SII) earlier this month, diplomatic sources told ThePrint. SII has manufactured the Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine in India.

 

By Nayanima Basu via The Print

 

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Brazil’s BTG Pactual to raise $377 mln in share offering

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SAO PAULO, Jan 14 (Reuters) – Brazilian bank Banco BTG Pactual SA plans to raise at least 2 billion reais ($377 million) in a share offering, a securities filing showed on Thursday.

The bank will sell 22,222,222 new shares, comprising one common share and two preferred shares, in the follow-on. It may raise the offering by 25% depending on demand.

 

By Carolina Mandl via Yahoo Finance

 

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Nordex gets Brazil nod for 5MW model

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Nordex has obtained the accreditation in Brazil for the N163/5.X wind turbine model from National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES).

Wind farm developers in Brazil will be able to purchase N163/5.X wind turbines using the credit line known as FINAME, as well as other similar financing lines that use the BNDES accreditation system to define local content.

 

Via Renews.Biz

 

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China/Brazil sea freight prices soar, almost five times higher than six months ago

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Sea freight on the China-Brazil route has soared and reached an unprecedented US$ 10,000 per TEU, according to importers and shipping companies operating in the port of Santos.

”It is a record high; I had never seen freight reach that amount,” said Luigi Ferrini, Senior Vice President of Hapag-Lloyd in Brazil. A year ago, the cost of this same route was in the range of US$ 2,000 per TEU.

 

Via Hellenic Shipping News

 

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Brazilian Food Delivery Market 2020 – COVID-19 Has Accelerated Brazil’s Digital Transformation

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DUBLIN, Jan. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The “The Brazilian Food Delivery Market, 2020: A Benchmark of the Top 8 Companies” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

Brazil’s digital transformation has been greatly accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in several types of solutions being launched into the food delivery market. The increasing use of smartphones and new technologies across various regions of the country, including small cities with few resources, has made food delivery services a routine element of the Brazilian lifestyle.

 

Via Cision PR Newswire

 

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Brazil: Brazil’s CNPE Establishes Guidelines For New Biodiesel Marketing Model

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On December 30, 2020, the National Energy Policy Council (“CNPE”)  published Resolution No. 14/2020 (“Resolution No. 14”), which establishes guidelines for the marketing of biodiesel in the national territory and provides for other measures.

Resolution No. 14 establishes that all biofuel necessary to comply with the mandatory percentage set forth by Law No. 13,033/2014 must be contracted by means of a marketing model, replacing the public auctions. The National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (“ANP”) shall be responsible for regulating the biodiesel marketing model, which became effective January 1, 2020.

 

By Bruno Triani Belchoir , Bárbara Eiroa Leite and Leandro Duarte via Mondaq

Brazil’s industry up 1.2% in November: IBGE

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São Paulo – Brazil’s industrial output climbed for the seventh month in a row, up 1.2% in November from October 2020. But year to date through November, it was down by 5.5%. In the twelve months through November, it declined by 5.2%. Despite the recent positive outcomes, industrial output is down 13.9% from the peak in May 2011.

Figures from the Monthly Industrial Survey made public on Friday (8) in Rio de Janeiro by statistic agency IBGE shows that the industry was up 2.8% from November 2019.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Almeida Advogados Launches Family Law and Wealth Planning Practice Area

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Dear Friend of the Firm,

We are pleased to inform you of the inauguration of our firm’s Family Law and Wealth Planning practice area.

Heading the practice area are our new partners Daniella Almeida and Felipe Ragusa, who departed from the much lauded São Paulo Family Law and Wealth Planning law firm Laiz Amaral de Andrade Advogados to join Almeida Advogados.

 

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MadeiraMadeira, the Brazilian answer to Wayfair or Ikea, is now worth $1 billion

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MadeiraMadeira, the Brazilian answer to Wayfair or Ikea, is now worth $1 billion after raising $190 million in late stage financing from investors led by SoftBank’s Latin American investment fund and the Brazilian public and private investment firm, Dynamo.

An online marketplace specializing in home products, MadeiraMadeira offers roughly 300,000 products so customers can build, furnish, renovate and decorate their homes.

 

By Jonathan Schieber via Tech Crunch

 

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Brazil: COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout In Brazil

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Although the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines may be more important to certain employers (such as those in health care), employers in all  industries should monitor the development of the Government’s vaccine roll-out program, as the vaccine concerns public health. In this Legal Update, we answer some of the questions that employers may have.

 

By Aline Fidelis and Vinicius Rodrigues de Castro via Mondaq

 

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Brazil’s services sector expands in Dec for 4th month, but pandemic fears linger – IHS Markit

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BRASILIA, Jan 6 (Reuters) – Brazil’s services sector expanded in December for a fourth straight month and at a slightly faster pace than the month before, a purchasing managers’ survey showed on Wednesday, although underlying data painted a more mixed picture.

Services have lagged manufacturing and industry in the rebound from the COVID-19 crisis but have recently shown signs that the bounceback is underway, a view strengthened by hopes a vaccine will soon be available.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Reuters India

 

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Enel allowed to switch on 260 MW of wind parks in Brazil

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January 5 (Renewables Now) – Brazilian power sector watchdog Aneel has given the green light to the start of commercial operations of 260 MW of wind parks owned by local units of Italian firm Enel Green Power SpA.

Aneel’s approval allows the company to generate power from the EOL Ventos de Santa Angela 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 14 parks. These plants are situated in the cities of Queimada Nova and Lagoa do Barro, Piaui state.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Brazil may add 9 GW of distributed solar over next two years

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“With the financial problems of our competitors, Aldo became the largest PV product distributor in Brazil this year”, said the president of Brazil’s largest PV product distributor and system integrator, Aldo Pereira Teixeira, in an interview with pv magazine. “Currently, our market share is around 35 to 36 percent.”

Aldo currently focuses on the sale of residential, commercial, and industrial photovoltaic systems and only 3 percent of the company’s revenue is concentrated on projects with a power greater than 1 MW, in which remote self-consumption is a priority. The situation of distributed generation in Brazil is still very promising, Pereira Teixeira added. “Brazil has 89 million consumer units and only 330,000 photovoltaic systems connected to the grid; we have a huge space to keep growing.”

 

By Emiliano Bellini via pv magazine

 

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Brazil scrambles for India-made vaccines to jumpstart inoculations

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BRASILIA/RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) -Brazil made a diplomatic push on Monday to guarantee an Indian-made shipment of British drugmaker AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, hoping to avoid export restrictions that could delay immunizations during the world’s second-deadliest outbreak.

In parallel, Brazil’s private clinics struck a preliminary deal for an alternative injection made by India’s Bharat Biotech despite a lack of public results from late-stage trials.

 

By Ricardo Brito and Pedro Fonseca via Reuters

 

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Brazil and UK to cooperate on digital transformation and innovation

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An agreement has been signed between Brazil and the UK to accelerate digital transformation and innovation in public services delivery in the Latin American country.

Under the memorandum of understanding signed on December 29 by Acting British Ambassador to Brazil Liz Davidson and Brazilian digital secretary Luis Felipe Monteiro, the countries will be working together until March 2023.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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China’s CEEC to build 869 MW of wind, solar parks in Brazil

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December 22 (Renewables Now) – China Energy Engineering Corp (HKG:3996), also know as CEEC, announced on Monday that one of its units has secured two contracts to build 869 MW of renewable power plants in Brazil.

The deal concerns a 231-MW wind farm and a 638-MW solar photovoltaic (PV) park, both to be built in Rio Grande do Norte state. The two engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts were secured by China Gezhouba Group International Engineering Co Ltd.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Brazil: Brazil Remains Wedded To LNG Despite Upset

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For quite some time, Brazil has garnered the right ingredients for a robust natural gas market: a large population underpinning rising energy demand, sizable reserves and a market hungry for diversification of energy sources. However, the gas market remains small compared to its vast resource base and demand potential. It is also highly concentrated.

 

By Liliana Diaz via Mondaq

 

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Accenture to work on sale of Brazil’s state-owned tech firms

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The Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) has announced the winner of the tender for the modeling the process relating to the privatization of two of the country’s largest state-owned technology companies.

The Social Security Technology and Information Company (Dataprev) and the Federal Data Processing Service (Serpro), – companies accountable for the development, maintenance, and operations of thousands of government systems as well as major data-related government strategy and projects – will be sold in 2021.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Foreigners Need Negative Covid-19 Exam to Fly to Brazil

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Brazilians traveling abroad will have to present a negative Covid-19 test to the airline when embarking back to the country.

The test must be taken within 72 hours prior to departure. Foreigners traveling to Brazil are subject to the same rule, which becomes effective as of December 30 this year and can disrupt the trip of those who have planned holidays abroad.

 

By Fernanda Mena via Folha de S. Paulo

 

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5 FinTech companies transforming the financial space in Brazil

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Brazil is a strategic player in the global market and the most influential country in Latin America. The country is said to have the largest online population in Latin America, with 150mn Brazilians connected and 68% owning a smartphone. It is also the largest FinTech hub in Latin America, which is driven by strong growth in the digital banking segments.

According to Global Index database, there are about 48mn unbanked Brazilians. This part of the population moves nearly 204bn USD of the country’s economy per year. The articles list 5 FinTechs disrupting the financial space in Brazil.

 

By Pavithra R via IBS Intelligence

 

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Beef exports from Brazil to end the year at a record high

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São Paulo – Beef exports from Brazil are set to end the year of 2020 at a new record high in volume and revenue, the Brazilian Beef Exporters Association (ABIEC) forecasts.

The organization forecasts that the volumes shipped from January to December will reach 2.02 million tonnes, up 8.8% from a year ago. Revenues should reach USD8.53 billion by the end of the year, up 11.8% year on year.

 

By Bruna Garcia Fonseca via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Brazil’s luxury real estate sees boom during pandemic

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Globally, affluent professionals are adopting a work-from-home lifestyle and affecting a mini-coronavirus exodus from dense urban centers. Brazil has the second-highest number of COVID-19 fatalities after the U.S., while the luxury real estate market is experiencing an unexpected boom.

In Rio de Janeiro’s exclusive neighborhood of Joa, real estate buyers are clamoring for the spectacular views overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

 

By Lucreia Franco via CGTN

 

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Outlook for Good Growth Maintenance of AUM of Brazilian Asset Managers in 2021

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Fitch Ratings-Sao Paulo-17 December 2020: Fitch Ratings’ sector outlook for asset managers in Brazil is stable, as is the Rating Outlook. The agency highlights the return to growth amid shifting investor needs and uncertainties after the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The inflows have been propelled by the decline in benchmark interest rates to a historical low of 2.0%, driving strong demand for more sophisticated investment strategies, such as equity and multimarket. Fitch expects these dynamics to remain in place during 2021, despite ongoing concerns related to the government’s fiscal condition and the global pandemic.

 

By Pedro Gomes via Fitch Ratings

 

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Brazil announces Covid-19 vaccination rollout plan

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(CNN)Brazil’s Ministry of Health on Wednesday announced its national vaccination rollout plan to counter Covid-19, set to start early next year.

During a ceremony at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, with President Jair Bolsonaro in attendance, the country’s Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello gave what he called a “macro-view” of the strategy to vaccinate Brazilians. ANVISA, Brazil’s health regulatory agency, has yet to officially authorize the use of any Covid-19 vaccine in Brazil.
By Tatiana Arias and Florencia Trucco via CNN

Brazilian Enterprises Speed Up Digital Transformations as COVID-19 Changes Business Realities Overnight

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SÃO PAULO, Brazil, Dec. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Many enterprises in Brazil responded to the COVID-19 crisis this year by accelerating digital transformation projects, creating new opportunities for service providers that help companies plan and implement these efforts, according to a new report published today by Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm.

The 2020 ISG Provider Lens™ Digital Business – Solutions and Service Partners report for Brazil found the pandemic and associated lockdowns left many industry segments struggling to survive in the first months of 2020. Rapidly emerging trends in response to the crisis, such as consumer adoption of online shopping and internet banking, and workplace adoption of video conferencing and collaboration platforms, led companies to carry out in a few months what would have been years-long digitization projects.

 

Via GlobeNewsWire

 

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BNDES okays loan for 90-MW Powertis solar complex in Brazil

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December 16 (Renewables Now) – Brazil’s National Development Bank (BNDES) has approved a BRL-191-million (USD 37.5m/EUR 30.8m) loan to support the construction of the 90-MW Pedranopolis photovoltaic (PV) complex owned by Spain’s Powertis SA.

Located in Sao Paulo state, the PV complex consists of three solar parks scheduled to commence operations in December 2021. Once operational, Pedranopolis will be able to generate enough power to meet the demand of 125,000 homes.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Pix goes live: updated numbers on the new instant payment method in Brazil

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After much anticipation, Pix – Brazil’s instant payments platform developed by the Central Bank of Brazil – has gone live for the entire Brazilian population. The new payment method allows immediate money transfer, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including weekends and holidays.

By the 3rd  of December, the Central Bank of Brazil had registered over 100 million Pix keys. Now, 60% of Brazilians already prefer Pix over TED (Express Wire Transfer) and DOCs (Credit Transfer Document), according to a research carried out by C6 Bank and IBOPEdtm. Further, 91% already know about Pix and find the new payment method safe.

 

By Ralf Germer via Paypers

 

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Enel commences construction of 1.3-GW renewables portfolio in Brazil

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December 15 (Renewables Now) – The Brazilian green power unit of Italian energy major Enel SpA (BIT:ENEL) said on Monday it has initiated construction works on 1.3 GW of renewable energy plants in the Northeastern region of Brazil.

Enel Green Power Brasil Participacoes Ltda (EGPB) is building four wind farms and one solar plant at a total cost of about BRL 5.6 billion (USD 1bn/EUR 901m).

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Farm Rio’s guide to taking a Brazilian brand international

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Farm Rio is on a quest to become among the handful of Brazilian clothing and footwear brands to go global like Havaianas flip flops.

To do it, the 23-year-old label, known for its bold, fun prints with tropical motifs, is manufacturing abroad, using collaborations with popular global brands like Levi’s to build awareness and leaning into its Brazilian heritage of colour and bold, tropical prints. A unit of publicly traded Grupo Soma, Farm Rio is making inroads at top global department stores from Neiman Marcus to Saks Fifth Avenue and its Farm Rio’s flagship New York store beat sales predictions by over 50 per cent. Farm Rio revenues outside Brazil jumped 217 per cent to 63.4 million reais ($12.5 million) in the first nine months of 2020, with domestic revenues of $69.8 million.

By Christiana Sciaudone via Vogue Business

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Record grain harvest forecast for Brazil in 2020-2021

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The Brazilian state-owned National Supply Company, or Conab, forecasts that the forthcoming harvest of grain in Brazil will amount to 265.9 million tonnes, 3.5 percent more than the last harvest and the most on record, Xinhua reports.

The Chinese government-run news agency says Conab attributes the growth it forecasts to more land being cultivated, and greater productivity.

 

Via Macau Hub

 

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Mass adoption of AI can aid Brazil’s economic recovery, study says

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The Brazilian economy could benefit from a boost of up to 4.2% within the next decade if companies and governments promote large-scale adoption of artificial intelligence, according to a new study by consulting firm FrontierView commissioned by Microsoft.

The potential of GDP increase of more than four percentage points is the most optimistic scenario set out in the reseach, whereby AI use goes beyond automation and is used to create highly skills jobs, drive productivity and economic growth.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Hydro signs MoUs for renewable power projects in Brazil

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Hydro has signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the aim to develop two renewable power projects in Brazil.

Renewable energy is an important step towards a more sustainable future, and it is a key element in Hydro’s strategic agenda. These agreements are an important step for Hydro’s newly established Renewable Growth unit, which targets to offer competitive renewable power to Hydro’s industrial assets by taking equity and operator positions in wind, solar and hydropower projects in Brazil and the Nordics.

 

By Nadine Blossom via Aluminum International Today

 

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Tribute to Joseph Safra (1938-2020)

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On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce, we regretfully inform you of the passing, on December 10, 2020 at the age of 82, of Joseph Safra, Lebanese-Brazilian banker who ran the Brazilian banking and investment empire Safra Group, and longtime Chamber affiliate.  The Safra family has been a great supporter of the Chamber since its inception in 1969, and Mr. Safra’s dialogue with the Chamber strengthened ties between Brazil and the United States and furthered our mission of promoting trade and investment between the two nations.

Born in Beirut, Lebanon to a Sephardic Jewish family with banking connections, Mr. Safra moved to Brazil in 1952.  In 1955, his brother Edmond and father Jacob started financing assets in São Paulo.  That same year, Mr. Safra founded Banco Safra, and went on to serve as Chairman of all Safra companies, offering banking services throughout North America, South America, and Europe.  He was credited with making Banco Safra one of Brazil’s soundest banks and today, the sixth largest private bank in Brazil.  As Brazil’s richest man and, for many years, the world’s wealthiest banker, he also spent much of his time funding health, education, and charity projects.

Mr. Safra is survived by his wife, Vicky Sarfati, and their four children – Jacob, Esther (and spouse Carlos Dayan), Alberto, and David.  More information on Mr. Safra’s great life and career can be found here:

https://www.reuters.com/article/people-safra-obituary-idUSL1N2IQ0YQ

Brazil’s coffee exports to Arab countries up 13%

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São Paulo – Year-to-date through November 2020, Arab countries stepped up their imports of Brazilian coffee more than any other continent or economic bloc. Those countries imported 1.89 million 60-kg bags of coffee, up 12.9% year-over-year. Foreign exchange revenue came out to USD 192.7 million, marginally down 0.3%. The numbers were made public this Wednesday (9) by the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council (Cecafé).

Total exports from Brazil amounted to 39.8 million bags of coffee, up 5.7% from a year ago, with foreign exchange revenue climbing 6.7%, to USD 5 billion. Average price per bag increased by 1% to USD 126.45.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Brazil Is a Lone Bright Spot for Oil Demand Outside of Asia

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Brazil is providing one of the few bright spots for oil demand outside of Asia with the coronavirus continuing to ravage the U.S. and Europe.

Fuel consumption in Latin America’s largest economy has already surpassed pre-virus levels and is expected to be stronger than 2019 going into next year on the back of robust agricultural demand and more driving.

 

By Lucia Kassai via Bloomberg

 

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White House Coronavirus Task Force backs restoration of inbound travel from Brazil, UK and Europe, sources say

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The White House Coronavirus Task Force has recommended to President Donald Trump that the United States begin allowing travelers into the country from Brazil, the United Kingdom and the 27 countries in the European Union, according to two officials involved in the discussions.

If Trump signs off on the policy proposal, it would reverse bans on inbound travel for U.S. allies put into place at the beginning of the pandemic as the virus surged overseas. Travel from China and Iran, two of the earliest hotspots for the virus and from which travel was restricted in January and February, would not be relaxed, according to these officials.

 

By Kayla Tausche via CNBC

 

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Footwear exports from Brazil up 13.8% in November

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São Paulo – Footwear exports from Brazil were up 13.8% year-on-year in November to 9.55 million pairs, the Brazilian Footwear Industry Association (Abicalçados) reported this Tuesday (8). Revenue was down 23.8% to USD 53.4 million.

Flip flop exports soared by 52% year-on-year. ANBA had anticipated this trend in an article last September.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Driven by China, beef sales from Brazil up 9%

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São Paulo – Year to date through November, beef exports from Brazil reached 14,848,067 tonnes, up 9% from a year ago, and USD7.7 billion, up 14%, the Brazilian Meat Packers Association (Abrafrigo) reported quoting the Brazilian Ministry of Economy’s Foreign Trade Secretariat figures.

According to the association, the Chinese imports in November compared to October helped keeping the 2020 growth forecast close to 10% in volume and around 15% in revenue. In volume terms, China bought 1,071,273 tonnes year to date through November, up 31% from 2019. In revenue, the Chinese market accounted for 57.9% of beef exports from Brazil, from 43.2% in 2019.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Why This Startup In Brazil Is Super-Optimistic About The Future Of Coworking Spaces

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If you thought that coworking was a non-starter during a pandemic, think again. Eureka Coworking is a Brazilian-based startup bringing people back to their offices with a commitment to safety, flexibility, and sustainability. Headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil, Eureka Coworking has offices in that city and its environs, as well branches in Portugal. Location has become even more important with the pandemic.

“This is the perfect moment for us because most people lack sufficient space to work at home in a professional manner, and our locations nearby bike lanes and within walking distance of neighborhoods help people who want to ride bicycles or walk to work,” said Daniel Moral, co-founder and CEO of Eureka Coworking. “We talked with our clients and decided to open together using safety measures.”

 

By Susan Galer via Forbes

 

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How emergency aid fueled economic recovery in Brazil

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São Paulo – Brazil’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) numbers show that the economy is reacting to incentives such as the emergency aid program, said Ecio de Farias Costa, a professor at the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), in an interview over the phone with ANBA. Brazil’s Q3 GDP was up 7.7% from Q2 to BRL 1.891 trillion (USD 364,5 bn), the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) reported this Thursday (3).

Emergency aid was made available in April by the federal government to citizens deemed most vulnerable to the economic crisis triggered by the novel coronavirus – those unemployed or whose monthly per capita household income fell short of half a minimum wage. Aid was supplied in instalments of BRL 600 (USD 115), or BRL 1,200 (USD 230) for women-led households. By September, the aid was extended through December 31, in just four instalments of BRL 300 (USD 57), and double that amount for single-mother families. For these latter instalments, however, the criterion changed, and not everyone was able to get the cash.

 

By Thais Sousa via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Brazil energy sector to thrive next decade

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The 2020s will be a key decade for Brazil, not only for oil and gas projects, but for the energy sector in general, as pre-salt production continues to soar to new highs and operators begin a gradual shift to cleaner energy sources.

“Next year will be huge, not only for Brazil’s deep-water and offshore plays, but as Brazil also moves to unlock the onshore,” Genesis Energies South America general manager Rodolpho Athayde told Upstream’s recent Brazil Oil & Gas digital event.

By Fabio Palmigiani via Upstream

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Brazil gets Chinese COVID-19 vaccine doses, Senate OK’s British vaccine funding

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – São Paulo’s Butantan Institute biomedical center on Thursday received 1 million doses of a Chinese COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech Ltd that is undergoing late-stage testing by the institute at 16 locations in Brazil.

The consignment of CoronaVac vaccine will be packaged and labeled at Butantan’s facilities pending regulatory approval. Butantan said it expected Sinovac to publish efficacy results from its vaccine trials by Dec. 15.

 

Via Reuters

 

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Brazil’s services sector expands in November, but growth slows, IHS Markit says

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BRASILIA, Dec 3 (Reuters) – Brazil’s services sector expanded in November for a third straight month but at a slower pace than the month before, a purchasing managers’ survey showed on Thursday, as worries over a second wave of the coronavirus cooled the recent recovery.

Services have lagged manufacturing and industry in the rebound from the COVID-19 crisis but had recently shown signs – particularly in job growth – that the bounceback was finally underway.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Reuters

 

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Cescon Barrieu’s Expansion to Canada

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We are pleased to announce that as of January 2021 we will be the first major Brazilian law firm to have a physical presence in Canada, with the opening of our Toronto office. This initiative is part of Cescon Barrieu’s growth and expansion strategy, as we celebrate our 20th anniversary in January 2021.

“We are excited to open the Toronto office, our first office outside Brazil,” said Cescon Barrieu Managing Partner Joaquim Oliveira. “Canadian companies have been a significant part of our cross-border work since our firm was formed almost twenty years ago.

Our Toronto office will enhance our ability to provide the best possible legal services to our Canadian clients with interests in Brazil.” Our Toronto office will be headed by Frederico Marques, who has been living and working in Canada for almost 15 years. Frederico led McCarthy Tetrault’s Latin American practice over the past seven years.

From the outset, our Canada Desk will have a multidisciplinary team comprised of a group of nearly 20 partners and associates, including by Marcos Flesch, Ana Carolina Passos and Ana Paula Calil in Corporate/M&A and Capital Markets, Frederico Viana and Marcelo Mendo in Mining and Environmental law, Helena Abdo in Arbitration and Litigation, and Luciano Souza in Compliance and Government relations.

The integrated practices between our offices in Brazil and Canada will initially be focused on business opportunities in Mining, Infrastructure, Energy and Renewables, Oil and Gas, ESG, Technology & Fintech, and Medical Cannabis.

 

Brazil’s health regulator open to approving Covid-19 vaccines for emergency use

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Brazil’s health regulator Anvisa said on Wednesday it was open to approving COVID-19 vaccines for emergency use and outlined the requirements for companies looking to do so.

Anvisa said authorizations would be analyzed on a case-by-case basis and that to be considered the vaccine must be in late-stage trials in Brazil. It said no requests had been received so far.

 

Via Merco Press

 

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Chubb and Nubank Launch Fully Digital Life Insurance Offering in Brazil

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NEW YORK and SAO PAULO, Dec. 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Nubank and Chubb today announced the launch of a fully digital life insurance offering in Brazil. With the introduction of Nubank Vida, the largest independent digital bank in the world enters the insurance market with a fast, seamless and personalized capability available to its 30 million customers across Brazil. Nubank Vida is underwritten by Chubb, the world’s largest publicly traded property and casualty insurer with operations in 54 countries and territories. Nubank Vida was developed using the integration capabilities of Chubb Studio, the global digital product distribution platform announced by Chubb in September.

The Nubank life insurance offer is fully customized to allow the customer to enjoy a seamless experience where quotes, bill payment and account management are all transacted digitally. Basic coverage includes natural or accidental death and funeral assistance, as well as living benefits covering hospitalization for accident, disability for accident and funeral assistance for family members.

 

Via Cision PR Newswire

 

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Vestas wins 534 MW order in Brazil to extend Casa dos Ventos’ wind farm

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Vestas wins 534 MW order in Brazil to extend Casa dos Ventos’ wind farm and make it the largest wind power project in Latin America.

Casa dos Ventos, one of the pioneers and largest investors in the development of wind energy projects in Brazil, has placed a 534 MW order for the second stage of the of the Rio do Vento complex, located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil. The extension will add to the 504 MW first phase of the project that is currently under construction, and the combined complex of more than 1 GW will be the largest wind farm in Latin America to date.

 

Via Reve

 

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Brazil: General View Of The Project “Transfer Pricing In Brazil”

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In February 2018, the OECD and Brazil started a joint project to analyze the similarities and differences between Brazilian legislation and the transfer pricing (“TP”) frameworks to assess cross-border transactions between associated enterprises from a tax standpoint. This project is within the scope of Brazil’s initiative to engage with the OECD in tax-related projects, and, in a broader respects, consistent with Brazil’s interest in initiating the process to join the OECD.

Stages of the Project

The project had three stages:

  • Stage 1: preliminary analysis of the legal and administrative framework of Brazil’s transfer pricing rules;
  • Stage 2: assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of Brazil’s existing transfer pricing rules and administrative practices; and
  • Stage 3: options for alignment with the OECD transfer pricing standard.

 

By Ivan Tauil and Thais Rodrigues via Mondaq

 

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Brazil’s new basic sanitation legal framework A pathway for the transformation of the sanitation sector in Brazil and for private investors to be part of the change

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In brief

In July 2020, Brazil’s New Sanitation Legal Framework was approved. It aims at the universalization of sanitation and water supply in Brazil by 2033 by attracting investment of USD128 billion. The new regulatory framework is expected to transform the nation’s water and sanitation sector, creating a business environment with more competition and legal certainty, and fostering domestic and foreign private investment in the sector.

Introduction

On July 15, 2020, Brazilian President, Jair Bolsonaro, sanctioned Federal Law No. 14.026/2020, also called as Brazil’s New Sanitation Legal Framework. This new regulation had been awaited with great anticipation and promises to change the way water and sanitation services are provided in the country by bringing more stability and legal certainty and enabling domestic and foreign private investment in the sector.

 

By DLA Piper via Lexology

 

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Brazil trials facial recognition with retired public servants

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The Brazilian government has announced a facial recognition trial with retired public servants to support the process of periodic verification that the beneficiary is alive in order to continue receiving of benefits.

The trial underpinning the process will be carried out with 10,000 retired federal civil servants and pensioners and the participants will be able to follow the process through a people management mobile app developed for federal government staff. If the pilot is successful, the functionality will be extended to 700,000 people.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Monashees-backed Pier Raises $14.5M Poised To Lead Insurance In Brazil

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Brazilian digital insurance company Pier is now issuing its own policies following a $14.5 million Series A round of funding.

The company started with insurance for auto and smartphones and that provides coverage without a grace period or deductible costs and that can be contracted entirely online, Igor Mascarenhas, co-founder and CEO, told Crunchbase News.

 

By Christine Hall via CrunchBase

 

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Brazil eyes $100 billion annual exports to China within a decade – Guedes

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Economy Minister Paulo Guedes lauded the economic boost from Brazil’s policy mix of low interest rates and a weak exchange rate, forecasting that exports to China will reach $100 billion a year within a decade.

In two online live events, Guedes also reiterated his view that the economy is undergoing a “V-shaped” recovery and creating jobs, and said the government’s economic reform program will accelerate once this month’s local elections are done.

 

By Jamie McGeever and Marcela Ayres via Hellenic Shipping News

 

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Brazil on track to end recession early 2021, as private activity speeds up

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Brazil’s economy probably rebounded at a record quarterly pace in July-September and was on track for a better start to 2021 than previously thought, as businesses and households recovered from the first surge in COVID-19 cases.

But on a year-ago basis, gross domestic product (GDP) in Latin America’s No. 1 economy is still expected to shrink, as well as in the current quarter and modestly in the first three months of 2021, marking five straight quarters of contraction.

 

Via Merco Press

 

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Canadian Solar signs PPAs for 862 MWp of solar in Brazil

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November 24 (Renewables Now) – Canadian Solar Inc (NASDAQ:CSIQ) has recently signed power purchase agreements (PPAs) covering 862 MWp of new solar capacity in Brazil.

The first contract was sealed with Brazilian investment bank and energy trader Banco BTG Pactual SA (B3:BPAC11). Under its terms, Canadian Solar will supply electricity from a 170-MWp cluster of projects located in Minas Gerais state for a 12-year period.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Crimefighting NGO tracks Brazil wildlife trade on WhatsApp and Facebook

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In the tropical forest surrounding Alter do Chão, a Brazilian town located on a languid stretch of the Amazon River and home to what is considered one of the most beautiful freshwater beaches in the world, monkeys, macaws, agoutis and armadillos co-habit in relative harmony.

About 33 kilometers west of the city of Santarém in Pará state, life’s slow pace in the village has long been a draw for weekend trippers and foreign tourists alike. But Alter do Chão and its surroundings, increasingly threatened by illegal loggers and poachers, is also a base for what may be one of the most innovative nonprofit organizations fighting animal trafficking in Brazil.

 

By Peter Yeung via Mongabay

 

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Brazil planning an 80% resumption of daily flights during December

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Brazil’s average daily flights fell from the original 2,500 to about 200 during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown period. In the months with the highest surge of the pandemic, Brazilian airlines reduced their operations by 99%.

But now, Brazil’s civil aviation sector appears to have bounced back from the strong impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in December expects to be operating at 80% of the capacity it registered in the same month last year, Ronei Glanzmann, head of the National Civil Aviation Secretariat, said at a forum sponsored by the Ministry of Infrastructure.

 

Via Merco Press

 

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Brazil will sign non-binding letters of intent for Covid-19 vaccines with four companies and Russia’s sovereign fund

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Brazil’s health ministry said on Sunday it will sign non-binding letters of intent to purchase coronavirus vaccines from four companies and Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, adding that any purchase will depend on the approval of the nation’s regulators.

According to the ministry, officials met last week with representatives of Pfizer Inc, India’s Bharat Biotech, the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Moderna Inc and Janssen, a unit of Johnson & Johnson.

 

Via Merco Press

 

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Brazil’s Linx set to be acquired by StoneCo for $1.28 billion

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Shareholders of Brazilian software firm Linx have agreed to back an acquisition offer from NASDAQ-listed payments processor StoneCo.

The transaction is valued at 6.8 billion reais ($1.28 billion), making it one of the largest ever deals involving a Brazilian technology company. The approval of 63% of Linx’s shareholders for the takeover offer ends a bidding war that saw StoneCo competing with Brazilian ERP giant Totvs since August.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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First doses of China’s CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine arrive in Brazil

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – The first 120,000 doses of CoronaVac, a COVID-19 vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech SVA.O that is being tested in Brazil, arrived at São Paulo’s international airport on Thursday morning, the state government said.

The doses will be stored in an undisclosed warehouse as the state awaits approval for use in Brazil by the national health regulator known as Anvisa.

 

Via Reuters

 

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BRICS backing Brazil’s UN Security Council bid

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Brasília – The BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – have expressed their support of Brazil’s bid for a seat as a rotating member of the United Nations Security Council in 2022 and 2023. The move was made public in the minutes of the 12th BRICS Summit Meeting (pictured above), held online on Tuesday (18).

The meeting minutes also espouse international cooperation to address the Covid-19 pandemic and equitable distribution of a safe, effective vaccine. The BRICS also call for a reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to enable the defense of developing countries, prevent protectionism by wealthy nations, and to work for a “more resilient” global supply chain.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Pfizer offers Brazil millions of doses of Covid-19 vaccine; record acceleration of contagion in the country

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Pfizer Inc said on Wednesday it had offered to provide Brazil with millions of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine in the first half of 2021, amid evidence the coronavirus is spreading more rapidly in South America’s largest country.

“Pfizer made a proposal to the Brazilian government, in line with deals we closed in other countries – including in Latin America, that would permit the vaccination of millions of Brazilians in the first half, subject to regulatory approval,” the company said in a statement.

 

Via Merco Press

 

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Brazil to receive China’s Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine, eyes Pfizer candidate

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s Sao Paulo state is set to begin importing the first of 46 million doses of China’s Sinovac vaccine against COVID-19 this week, while the federal government takes a more cautious approach with a vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc.

Federal health officials met with Pfizer representatives on Tuesday as Brazil seeks to secure vaccine supplies. The Health Ministry said in a statement that it would buy the Pfizer vaccine, currently in Phase 3 trials, if it was proven safe and was registered with health authority Anvisa.

 

By Ricardo Brito and Anthony Boadle via Reuters

 

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A company in Brazil made a controversial move to fight racism. Other CEOs should try it

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Although she’s not a household name in the United States, billionaire Luiza Trajano, the richest woman in Brazil, might very well become one soon if her radical new model to confront structural racism takes hold.

Trajano made her fortune with her eponymous Magazine Luiza (or Magalu as it is known) — Brazil’s sprawling 1,000-store department store chain with over 40,000 employees. She recently announced, together with her son, Frederico Trajano, the company’s CEO, a bold and highly controversial move: Its coveted trainee program, long considered a major stepping stone into Brazil’s corporate world, will now only admit Black Brazilians into its ranks in an effort to upend a system that oftentimes sidelines Brazilians of African heritage from rising up the corporate ladder.
By Arick Wierson via CNN Business

Brazil in 2021: The focus is on fiscal policy

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Brazil’s economic policy response to the pandemic was unusually aggressive by emerging market standards. The monetary easing was perhaps the most forceful in EM when you consider the current level of the policy rate of 2%, relative to the ten-year historical average of 10%. The persistent FX sell-off has been the primary side-effect of that easing, which is, arguably a minor concern in the current low-inflation environment.

Much more consequential has been the fiscal stimulus enacted, especially the household income transfers to help offset wage income lost to Covid-19 movement restrictions.

 

By Gustavo Rangel via Think.ING

 

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Facebook’s WhatsApp Gets Another Shot At P2P In Brazil As Google Shows Interest

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WhatsApp is getting another crack at grabbing a slice of Brazil’s fast-growing payments market.

Facebook’s messaging service will soon get a green light to start providing peer-to-peer (P2P) payment services in Brazil, Roberto Campos Neto, head of the country’s central bank, said at a news conference Monday (Nov. 16), Reuters reported.

Campos Neto also noted Brazil’s central bank has talked to other Big Tech firms like Google about their interest in offering instant payments services in the country, Reuters reported.

 

Via Pymnts

 

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Brazil Is Emerging As The World’s Leading Offshore Oil Producer

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Sharply weaker oil prices, the COVID-19 pandemic, and heightened geopolitical uncertainty have done little to blunt Brazil’s epic offshore oil boom. By September 2020 Brazil had soared to be the third-largest supplier of crude oil to China, the world’s second-largest economy. The scale of Brazil’s deep-water offshore oil boom is underscored by the pre-salt Tupi oilfield which for the third quarter of 2020 reached the impressive milestone of having pumped two billion barrels of accumulated oil production in the decade since commercial oil production began. A key reason for this is the rapidly growing popularity of the sweet medium crude oil grades produced from Brazil’s pre-salt oil fields, notably Tupi the world’s largest deep-water oilfield, and the Buzios field.

 

By Matthew Smith via Oilprice.com

 

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Uber to accept fast payments in Brazil in partnership with Ebanx

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Uber Technologies Inc started on Monday to take instant payments in Brazil in partnership with payments startup Ebanx, both companies said.

More than 60 million people had already signed up to the newly launched instant payments platform, so-called Pix, before its full operation started this Monday. It allows consumers and companies to make money transfers 24 hours a day, seven days a week, without requiring debit or credit cards.

 

Via Reuters

 

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Mercado Livre announces the opening of five additional distribution centers in Brazil

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This week, we saw Amazon’s announcement of the opening of three more logistics centers in Brazil – in three different states – which are expected to meet demand for Prime deliveries from the US retailer’s subscription service. Now, its Argentinian competitor in Brazil, Mercado Livre, has followed the same path and has announced that it will open five more distribution warehouses in the country.

According to the company, the five new centers will start operating in early 2021 and will be spread across three Brazilian states: Minas Gerais, Santa Catarina and São Paulo.

 

By Re: Jerusalem

 

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Of the Ten Best Universities in Latin America, Three Are Brazilian

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Among the ten best universities in Latin America, three are Brazilian public education institutions. The ranking released by the British consultancy QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) evaluated USP, Unicamp and UFRJ as the most prestigious in the country.

The survey, published annually, evaluated 410 educational institutions from 20 countries in the region. The ranking is led, as in the previous year, by the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.

 

By Isabela Palhares via Folha de S. Paulo

 

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Saudi Arabia’s poultry imports from Brazil up 22%

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São Paulo – Saudi Arabia’s poultry imports from Brazil were a highlight in October at 44,900 tons, up 22% year-on-year. The information was made public by the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA) this Wednesday (11).

Last month saw 319,700 tons of poultry shipped abroad from Brazil, down 9.4% year-on-year. Exports fetched USD 446.8 million, down 21.2%.

 

By Thais Souza via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Amazon grows delivery network in Brazil

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(Bloomberg)—Amazon.com Inc. is opening three new distribution centers in Brazil, marking its biggest logistics push in Latin America’s largest market as competition intensifies amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The expansion, which comes two months after the U.S. ecommerce giant launched its largest distribution center yet in the country, adds 75,000 square-meters to Amazon’s logistics infrastructure. It also gives it more bandwidth, raising to 500 the number of cities with deliveries in less than 48 hours—just shy of 10% of municipalities in Brazil.

 

Via Digital Commerce 360

 

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Footwear exports from Brazil up in October

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São Paulo – Brazilian footwear exports saw a slight month-on month growth in October, following a trend of gradual rebound from the economic impact of the pandemic. According to the Brazilian Footwear Industry Association (Abicalçados), October saw 10.43 million pairs of shoes shipped from Brazil, up. 28.6% month on month; revenue came out to USD 55.4 million, up 4.8%.

Year on year, though, volume was down 6.1%, and revenue 36.8%. Year to date through October, exports reached 74.9 million pairs of shoes, down 22.3%, for USD 545.35 million, down 33.6% from a year ago.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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RPT-CHINA’S OCT SOYBEAN IMPORTS SOAR TO 8.7 MLN T ON RISING BRAZILIAN, U.S. CARGOES

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BEIJING, Nov 7 (Reuters) – China’s soybean imports jumped 41% in October from a year ago, according to data from the General Administration of Customs released on Saturday, as delayed Brazilian cargoes cleared customs and U.S. soybean arrivals grew.

The world’s top soybean importer brought in 8.69 million tonnes of the oilseed in October, up from 6.18 million tonnes in the same month of the previous year, as crushers booked Brazilian beans earlier on good crush margins and as more U.S. beans started to flow in, the data showed.

 

By Hallie Gu and Kevin Yao via Successful Farming

 

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Alexa celebrates a year in Brazil with the launch of sales of the fourth generation of the Echo line

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Amazon today celebrated the first anniversary of its personal voice assistant, Alexa. And, to celebrate, the American giant announced the start of sales of the latest generations of its Echo and Echo Dot smart speakers, announced worldwide in September.

The main novelty of this generation, the design of the cases has been changed, abandoning the format of the disc for a round construction. There’s a significant improvement in sound here, powered by a three-inch woofer, two tweeters, and Dolby processing that delivers stereo sound with high highs, dynamic mids, and deep lows, according to Amazon. In the case of the Echo Dot and Echo Dot with clock, there is also the function that activates the repeat mode with a single press.

 

Via Re: Jerusalem

 

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U.S. Seizes $24 Million In Cryptocurrency On Behalf Of Brazilian Government

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The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) has announced yesterday (4) the seizure of virtual currency worth around $24 million on behalf of the Brazilian government as part of an investigation into a large-scale fraud scheme.

According to the Brazilian authorities, more than US$ 200 million was obtained through the cryptocurrency fraud scheme, which is believed to have impacted “tens of thousands” of investors.

 

By Angelica Mari via Forbes

 

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Brazil to lead MERCOSUR talks; Deeper cooperation in defence, space, Ayurveda and agriculture, says India’s envoy to Brazil

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To further strengthen their ties, India and Brazil elevated their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership in 2006 and since then the relationship has witnessed an upward trend. President Jair Bolsonaro was the chief guest at the Republic Day this year. The largest economy in Latin America, Brazil offers a huge market for a wide range of Indian manufactured goods. Also, it is a country with a lot of natural resources and can help India in various sectors especially in agri-tech, bio-energy, pharmaceuticals, oil and defence and space.

Suresh K Reddy who has in September this year assumed charge as Ambassador of India to Brazil talks with Huma Siddiqui on a wide range of topics. Following are excerpts:

 

By Huma Siddiqui via Financial Express

 

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Brazil have digital version of Real, confirms minister Paulo Guedes

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During a ceremony held on Wednesday (4), the Minister of the Economy, Paulo Guedes, confirmed that Brazil will also have a digital currency. The project is already under study by the Central Bank (CB) and will be a direct consequence of the adoption of the PIX.

Guedes didn’t even mention the details of the project, but the idea of ​​a digital currency has already been explored by several countries around the world. The most advanced example is Chinese, since the country’s government has already launched the digital yuan.

 

Via Re: Jerusalem

 

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Brazil Industry Posts Longest Streak of Monthly Gains Since 2012

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(Bloomberg) — Brazil’s industrial production rose for the fifth straight month in September, representing the longest streak of gains since 2012, as billions of dollars in fiscal stimulus spurs broad-based consumer demand.

Output rose 2.6% from August, above the median estimate for a 2.4% gain from economists in a Bloomberg survey. Industrial production increased 3.4% from a year ago, returning

 

By Mario Sergio Lima via Bloomberg Quint

 

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US soybeans being loaded in Louisiana for Brazil

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A U.S. grain export terminal near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is loading about 38,000 tons of U.S. soybeans on a bulk cargo vessel for shipment to Brazil, according to Southport Agencies shipping lineup.

Brazil is the world’s top exporter of soybeans, so it almost never needs imports. This year, growers have sold huge volumes to top importer China, leaving little for domestic consumption. That has led to price rises for feed for animal farming and meatpacking operations in Brazil, and contributed to food inflation.

 

Via Merco Press

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Brazil’s Black Silicon Valley could be an epicenter of innovation in Latin America

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Over the last five years, Brazil has witnessed a startup boom.

The main startups hubs in the country have traditionally been São Paulo and Belo Horizonte, but now a new wave of cities are building their own thriving local startup ecosystems, including Recife with Porto Digital hub and Florianópolis with Acate. More recently, a “Black Silicon Valley” is beginning to take shape in Salvador da Bahia.

 

By Paulo Rogério Nunes and Tara Collier via Tech Crunch

 

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Brazil has a super port in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul

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After two years of dredging works using a federal investment of R$ 500 million, (some 80 million dollars) the Port of Rio Grande – the main port in the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul – will be able to receive vessels of up to 366 meters in length. This is because the port’s new draft, (15 meters) was officially approved on October 26th.

Thanks to the removal of more than 16 million cubic meters of sediment, the operational draft of the so-called internal channel, where the most important port terminals and the largest flow of cargo are located, went from 12.8 to 15 meters. The depth, which was 14.2, is now 16.5 meters. The handling capacity now meets international navigation standards, and the port is able to receive vessels of up to 366 meters in length- a difference of 29 meters in relation to the previous capacity of 337 meters in length.

 

Via Merco Press

 

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Distributed Generation Provides Hope of Energy for the Poor in Brazil

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RÍO DE JANEIRO, Oct 28 2020 (IPS) – “Showing solidarity is consuming the energy generated in your own municipality” – this is the motto of a project of distributed electricity generation in one of Brazil’s many poor neighbourhoods.

“Sertão (the word for the country’s semiarid hinterland) with solidarity” is how the director of the Brazilian Association of Distributed Generation (ABGD) in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais, Walter Abreu, named the project. The organisation promotes solar energy in the north of that state, where 1.5 million of the state’s 2.7 million people live in poverty and half of these in extreme poverty.

 

By Mario Osava via Inter Press Service

 

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Microsoft announces tech training partnership with Brazilian government

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The Brazilian government has announced a partnership with Microsoft to train millions of citizens in technology subjects over the next three years.

Under the Mais Brasil (More Brazil) program, a remote education platform developed in partnership with the Ministry of Economy offers 20 courses through the Microsoft Community Training tool, with the capacity to train up to 5.5 million job seekers by 2023.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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BNDES okays funding for 505 MW of solar in Brazil

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October 26 (Renewables Now) – Brazil’s National Development Bank (BNDES) said on Friday it will support the construction of 505 MW of solar projects through loans of over BRL 1.1 billion (USD 195.7m/EUR 165m).

Some BRL 910 million of the total will be used for the 415-MW Sol do Sertao Solar Complex in Oliveira de Brejinhos, Bahia state. Brazil’s Essentia Energia is the project developer.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Brazilian anhydrous ethanol hits historical high amid bullish fundamentals

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Santos — The Brazilian anhydrous ethanol market hit its highest traded value on Oct. 21 amid a scenario of fuel consumption increase, lower ethanol production and a lack of imports from the US.

S&P Global Platts assessed anhydrous ethanol ex-mill Ribeirao Preto on Oct. 21 at Real 2,530/cu m ($451.07/cu m), up 13.71% on the month and 17.95% on the year. The assessment was the highest since Platts started to assess this market in April 2014.

 

By Nicolle Monteiro de Castro via S&P Global Platts

 

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Guedes Signs An Agreement to Finance US Exports to Brazil that May Reach US $ 1 billion

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During the last visit of a delegation from the Donald Trump administration to Brasília, Minister Paulo Guedes (Economy) and the president of Exim Bank (Bank of Exports and Imports of the USA), Kimberly Reed, signed a memorandum to identify financing possibilities for exports from that country to Brazil that may add up to US $ 1 billion.

The document signed at the Itamaraty ceremony establishes commitments between Brazil and the USA to advance cooperation on trading goods and services, especially in telecommunications and 5G, energy, infrastructure, logistics, mining, and manufacturing.

 

By Ricardo Della Coletta, Thiago Resende and Gustavo Uribe via Folha de S. Paulo

 

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Brazil invests in technology development

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São Paulo – Brazil’s minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Marcos Pontes, said on Tuesday (20) that investing in technology development in Brazil, in partnership with other countries, is a way of overcoming global challenges. Pontes discussed projects under development during his participation in the Economic Forum Brazil & Arab Countries, hosted by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Arab League and the Union of Arab Chambers.

“The pandemic demands solutions that are also opportunities for small-sized companies that are able to present them. In these lines, Brazil is still struggling in educating technology professionals. The technology will be increasingly important in the composition of the country’s GDP, as it is in agriculture, healthcare, education, and several other sectors,” he said.

 

By Marcos Carrieri via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Covid-19 prompts increase in contactless use in Brazil

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The new coronavirus pandemic has prompted an increase in contactless payments in Brazil, though the method has yet to take off, according to a new study released by Visa.

According to the research, contactless payments made through cards, smartwatches and other mobile devices accounted for about 3% of all payments processed by the company between January and June 2020, compared to 1% in the same period last year.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Brazil to play a stronger role in Arab food security

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São Paulo – Brazil will play an even more important role in Arab food security. That was one projection for the Arab-Brazilian relations expressed by Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) president Rubens Hannun during the opening ceremony of the Economic Forum Brazil & Arab Countries on Monday (19). The ceremony featured Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro and Arab League secretary-general Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

The event is themed “The Future is Now.” Hannun said that the Arab countries are becoming a global standard in technology, environmental preservation, and sustainable production. “Brazil, in turn, will play an even more prominent role in the Arab food security. Therefore, there is plenty of potential to create and expand alliances,” Hannun said.

 

By Isaura Daniel via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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BlackRock plans huge expansion in Brazilian ETF market

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BlackRock is planning to cross-list “up to 100” of its overseas exchange traded funds in Brazil to take advantage of a boom in investment sparked by plunging interest rates and market liberalisation.

The world’s largest asset manager said it hoped the ETFs would be available by the end of March next year, which would mark a huge expansion on its existing range of five São Paulo-listed ETFs.

 

By Steve Johnson via Financial Times

 

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U.S. steps up cooperation with Brazil for post-pandemic recovery

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – The United States boosted its financial cooperation with Brazil on Monday to help the South American nation’s economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic with a loan to its largest private bank.

The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has extended a $400 million loan to Itau Unibanco Holding SA ITUB4.SA which should be used to finance small companies in Brazil, DFC said in a statement on Monday.

By Leonardo Benassatto and Carolina Mandl via Reuters

Agriculture giants team up on blockchain platform to track grains in Brazil

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The world’s largest grains and oilseeds companies, American giants Bunge and Cargill, have joined together to create the joint venture Covantis, which will use blockchain technology in the agricultural sector in Brazil.

The unprecedented project foresees the exchange of information between all members of Covantis, which also includes the participation of other agribusiness giants such as the French Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC), the Chinese state-owned company Cofco International and the Dutch multinational Glencore Agriculture.

 

By Cassio Gusson via Cointelegraph

 

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BRAZIL TO DISCUSS ELIMINATING TARIFFS ON CORN AND SOY

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct 15 (Reuters) – The Brazilian government is set to discuss on Friday a proposal that would temporarily eliminate tariffs on corn and soy imports from countries outside the Mercosur trade block, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The matter will be decided during a meeting of Gecex, a technical body within the Economy Ministry, said the source, who requested anonymity to discuss confidential matters.

 

By Rodrigo Viga Gaier via Successful Farming

 

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Brazil launches artificial intelligence center

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Brazil’s largest research facility focused on artificial intelligence (AI) has been launched yesterday (14) through a collaboration between the private and public sector.

Announced in February 2019, the Artificial Intelligence Center (C4AI) is the result of investments made by IBM, the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) and the University of São Paulo (USP).

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Enel allowed to fire up 96 MW of solar plants in Brazil

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October 15 (Renewables Now) – Brazilian power sector watchdog Aneel has given the green light to the start of commercial operations of 95.68 MW of solar plants owned by local units of Italian firm Enel Green Power SpA.

Aneel’s approval allows the company to generate 50 MW from the UFV Sao Goncalo 5 park and 45.68 MW from UFV Sao Goncalo 6.

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Harnessing Food Waste to Empower Communities in Brazil

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Take a dozen banana peels, wash them gently with a brush under running water, then chop them into small pieces. Next, blend the peels with five spoons of cacao and a cup of ice water. Once the lumps have been removed, place the mixture in a hot, buttered pan and stir it for five minutes. Let it cool down to thicken, and then roll the resulting dough into small spheres. Lastly, dip the balls into sesame or peanut powder, and you’ll have a brigadeiro, an iconic Brazilian dessert.

But this is not the standard version of the sweet: It’s a unique variant created by Regina Tchelly, a 39-year-old Brazilian chef and resident of Rio de Janeiro’s Babilônia slum.

By Agostino Pestroni via EcoWatch

Brazilian coffee exports hit record in September

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São Paulo – Coffee exports from Brazil hit an all-time high in September at 3.8 million bags shipped. The number includes green, soluble, and roast and ground coffee. Shipped volume was 8.6% higher than in September 2019, and the biggest amount ever shipped in a September.

September exports fetched USD 458 million, up 3.6%. Revenue in local currency was BRL 2.5 billion, up 35.7% due to a US dollar hike. Price per bag averaged at USD 120.7. The numbers are from the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council (Cecafé).

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Tender launched for utility-scale floating PV in Brazil

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Empresa Metropolitana de Águas e Energia (EMAE), the energy supplier for the Brazilian state of São Paulo, has launched a tender for the deployment of four utility-scale floating PV projects.

The arrays will be built at the largest water reservoir in the state, which hosts an 880 MW hydroelectric power plant. The power station supplies electricity to about 1.8 million people, and is also used for fishing and swimming.

 

By Emiliano Bellini via PV Magazine

 

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Large wind project to double renewable energy capacity in Brazil

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(Florianopolis/Oslo, 07.10.2020) Statkraft is ready to start construction of its Ventos de Santa Eugenia wind project in northeastern Brazil, after closing a turbine supply contract with German wind turbine manufacturer Nordex. Statkraft’s largest wind project in South America will more than double its renewable energy capacity in Brazil.

The 519 MW wind project entails 10 wind farms with a total of 91 turbines in the state of Bahia, located close to Statkraft’s existing Bahia wind power assets. Given the excellent wind conditions in the area, the project will generate almost 2.3 TWh of renewable energy per year, enough to supply 1.17 million Brazilian homes.

 

Via GlobeNewsWire

 

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Who are the best rated mayors in 12 Brazilian capitals

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Brasilia [10/10/2020]

Mayor of Salvador, ACM Neto (DEM), has the best approval rate among the mayors of 12 capitals surveyed by IBOPE.

This week, IBOPE conducted a round of electoral polls in Brazilian capitals in which it also measured the approval of the current mayors. Of the 12 capitals surveyed, only three disapprove of their mayors: Porto Alegre, Recife, and Rio de Janeiro. In São Paulo, the approval and disapproval rates register a technical tie. In the other eight capitals, the current mayors boast approvals that reach 85%, as is the case in Salvador.

Mayor Antonio Carlos Magalhães (ACM) Neto (DEM), who has governed the capital of Bahia for eight years, achieved the best performance appraisal among the 12 capitals surveyed by IBOPE. He received an 85% approval rating and only a 12% disapproval rating. For 73% of voters, the Democrat’s management can be considered good or great. Only 6% of voters consider the management to be bad or terrible.

Another who also boasts good approval ratings is the mayor of Belo Horizonte, Alexandre Kalil (PSD). He seeks re-election and boasts 76% approval in the capital of Minas Gerais, with 65% of voters considering his management as good or excellent. Kalil has only 22% disapproval among voters; 13% of them consider the management to be bad or very bad.

The mayor of Florianópolis, Gean Loureiro (DEM), who is seeking re-election, also has good rates among voters. He has the approval of 72% of voters, against 22% of disapproval. Management is considered good or excellent by 58% of voters heard by IBOPE. Another 9% consider the management to be bad or very bad and 32% consider it to be regular.

The mayor of Goiânia, Iris Rezende (MDB), also has an approval rate higher than 60%. In the capital of Goiás, 69% of voters approve the management of the PMDB party member, against 26% who disapprove it. More than half of respondents (53%) rated management as good or excellent. Another 12% consider the Rezende government to be bad or very bad.

In Curitiba, Rafael Greca (DEM), who is seeking re-election, has 68% of voter approval and a disapproval rating of 29%. More than half of Curitibanos (54%) consider the mayor’s management to be good or excellent. Another 29% consider it regular and 16%, bad or very bad.

In Natal, the approval rating of Mayor Álvaro Dias (PSDB), also a candidate for re-election, is 63%. Another 31% of voters disapprove of the PSDBista’s management. There is a technical tie between voters who classify management as good or excellent and those who classify it as regular: 42% in both cases. Another 14% consider management to be bad or very bad.

The mayors of João Pessoa, Luciano Cartaxo (PV), and Palmas, Cinthia Ribeiro (PSDB), have approval ratings above 50% – 56% and 53% respectively. “

Copyright © 2020, Gazeta do Povo. All rights reserved.

 

By Kelli Kadanus via Gazeta do Povo

 

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Jordan, Libya purchased more poultry from Brazil

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São Paulo – Poultry exports from Brazil were up 1.3% in shipped volume year-to-date through September from a year ago, the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA) reported. Sales to Arab countries such as Jordan and Libya increased.

Year-to-date through September, 3.17 million tonnes of poultry products got exported from Brazil. Export revenue was down 12.1% to USD 4.6 billion. In September, shipped volume was down 2.3% to 345,000 tonnes, while revenue was down 18.4% to USD 479 million.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Foreign-backed consortium in talks for Petrobras gas fields in Brazil, sources say

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RIO DE JANEIRO/SAO PAULO (Reuters) – A consortium of Brazil’s 3R Petroleum and Norway-linked DBO Energy is in bilateral talks with Brazil’s Petrobras to purchase a cluster of offshore natural gas fields, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the matter.

The Peroa cluster, located off the coast of Espirito Santo state, would be among the first all-gas offshore fields sold by Petrobras amid a larger push to break the company’s near-monopoly in Brazil’s natural gas value chain.

 

By Gram Slattery and Carolina Mandl via Reuters

 

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Beef exports from Brazil up in volume terms

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São Paulo – Beef exports from Brazil were up 2% in terms of shipped volume year-on-year in September, the Brazilian Meat Packers Association (Abrafrigo) reported this Wednesday (6) quoting federal government numbers. The month saw 166,300 tons of raw and processed beef shipped. Export revenues decreased by 2% to USD 668.7 million.

Year-to-date through September, beef exports climbed 10% to 1.4 million tons, while revenue went up 20% to USD 6.1 billion.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Brazil advances in digital competitiveness ranking

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Brazil’s capacity and readiness to adopt and explore digital technologies for economic and social transformation has seen some improvements, according to a study published this week by Swiss business school International Institute for Management Development (IMD). The country climbed six positions in this year’s World Digital Competitiveness Ranking (WDCR) in relation to 2019, ranking 51st in a list of 63 countries.

The IMD ranking scrutinizes the digital competitiveness of nations based on the intangible infrastructure necessary for the learning and discovery aspects of technology, as well as the level of preparedness of an economy to carry out its digital transformation. In addition, it quantifies the landscape of developing digital technologies.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Brazil GDP decline set for less than feared at 5.8%: IMF

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WASHINGTON: Brazil’s economy is set to shrink by 5.8 per cent in 2020, the International Monetary Fund said on Monday (Oct 5), revising up an earlier forecast but warning the country faced “excpetionally high” risks.

“The economy is projected to shrink by 5.8 per cent in 2020, followed by a partial recovery to 2.8 per cent in 2021,” the IMF said in its annual report on Latin America’s largest economy.

 

Via CNA

 

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China’s Didi and WhatsApp team up in Brazil to compete with Uber

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Brazilian ride-hailing service 99, controlled by China’s Didi Chuxing Technology Co Ltd, has partnered with WhatsApp to accept orders on the chat platform owned by Facebook in a move that would allow users to summon cars without using another app.

The partnership is the first of its kind in the world for Didi, China’s biggest ride-hailing company, the companies said, and could give 99 an advantage in competing with US-based Uber Technologies Inc, the market leader in Brazil.

 

Via Merco Press

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Wind energy generates 19,000 jobs in Brazil

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The wind power, the second source of electric power in Brazil, behind the hydroelectric, represents 19,000 jobs in Brazil, as compared to 34,000 in 2018. Even with the fall, Brazil remains among the 10 most used in the world. this segment, behind China, Germany, United States, India, United Kingdom, Denmark, Mexico, Spain and the Philippines. The report states that, before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the wind sector was expected to expand due to planned installations.

Around 80% of this market is located in the northeast, which has the best wind conditions. The report indicates that local containment requirements and subsidized services for project developers have strengthened the national supply chain for wind turbines. It is also of high impact in the production of towers and the most moderate effect in the manufacture of wind turbines. The national content in the Brazilian wind sector is currently estimated at 80%.

Via Reve

 

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Brazil runs record trade surplus

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Brasília – Imports slowed down faster than exports in September in Brazil, yielding a record-high trade surplus. Exports exceeded imports by USD 6.164 billion, the strongest result for the month since record-keeping began in 1989.

Both exports and imports decreased during the month. Average daily exports from Brazil were down 9.1% year-over-year to USD 18.459 billion. Average daily imports slid by 25.5% to USD 12,296 billion.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Brazil: Brazil’s Comprehensive Privacy Law Now In Effect

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Following lots of legislative uncertainty, Brazil has now formally enacted the country’s first general data protection law, Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados, or “LGPD.” While administrative sanctions do not go into effect until August 1, 2021, individuals and public prosecutors can now bring claims for losses and damages. Indeed, at least one public civil action has already been filed. LGPD is the first comprehensive general data protection law in Latin America. It was modeled after the EU’s GDPR. While there are many similarities, LGPD does introduce new concepts. Below are some of the key elements to keep in mind.

 

By Julia K. Kadish and Liisa Thomas via Mondaq

 

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Brazil’s Sao Paulo signs agreement with Sinovac for COVID vaccine doses

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – The government of Brazil’s Sao Paulo state signed a $90 million contract on Wednesday to receive 46 million doses of a potential vaccine from China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd.

Sao Paulo, Brazil’s most populous state, is one of the sites of Phase III clinical trials for the Sinovac vaccine conducted by the state’s Butantan Institute, a leading biomedical research center.

 

By Eduardo Simões via Swissinfo.ch

 

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Solar under net metering reaches 3.6 GW in Brazil

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The Brazilian solar association ABSolar has carried out a study on grid-connected photovoltaic distributed generation, which in Brazil includes all PV systems not exceeding 5 MW in size installed under the net metering regime. In total, there is more than 3.6 GW of installed power of distributed generation from photovoltaic solar sources throughout the country, representing more than 18.2 billion reais (€2.81 billion) in accumulated investments since 2012 and more than 108,000 jobs.

According to the association, in the number of systems installed, residential consumers are in the lead, representing 72.5% of the total. That figure is followed by companies in the commerce and services sectors (17.7%), rural consumers (6.8%), industries (2.6%), the public sector (0.4%), public services (0.03%) and public lighting (0.01%).

 

By Pilar Sánchez Molina via PV Magazine

 

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Brazil’s LGPD Takes Effect – With Early Enforcement

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Brazil represents over half of all IT spend in Latin America, has the largest regional market for software outsourcing, employs a sizable IT workforce, manufactures consumer goods (including commercial airplanes and cars) and has an active consumer market of social media operated by global data aggregators. At a time when data privacy is becoming increasingly important to consumers, it seems only fitting that Brazil would adopt comprehensive privacy legislation to protect data privacy rights.

The General Data Protection Law, the first law of its kind in Brazil, is now in effect, and we are already seeing enforcement. Streamlining the legal framework on data protection, the law sets forth a number of requirements addressing legal bases for processing, individual rights, governance and accountability and data transfers. Here’s what you need to know.

 

Laura E. Jehl and Matthew R. Cin via The National Law Review

 

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Statkraft to build 519-MW wind complex in Brazil

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September 29 (Renewables Now) – Norwegian state-owned energy company Statkraft AS will invest roughly BRL 2.5 billion (USD 444.6m/EUR 381m) in the development of a 519-MW wind complex in Brazil.

Named Ventos de Santa Eugenia, the asset is expected to break ground in January 2021 and have its first turbines generating power in 2022. Full completion is set for 2023, boosting Statkraft’s capacity in the country to 967 MW.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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USTDA Supports Broadband Network Expansion in Brazil

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São Luís, Brazil – The U.S. Trade and Development Agency has awarded a grant to the Brazilian telecommunications company Equatorial Telecomunicações S.A.to facilitate the development of a broadband network backbone in the country’s northeast region. The project is specially designed to enhance connectivity and extend government services for more than three million people in Brazil.

“In today’s connected world – and particularly during the COVID-19 era – reliable internet and reliable access to digital services are more important than ever,” said Todd Abrajano, USTDA Chief Operating Officer and Head of Agency. “USTDA’s support for this project will connect millions more Brazilian citizens and businesses to broadband infrastructure and deepen Equatorial’s understanding and familiarity with innovative ICT solutions from U.S. industry.”

 

Via USTDA

 

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Brazil to join COVAX vaccine facility, as Chile, Israel, UAE also sign up

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil, which has the world’s second-highest coronavirus death toll, has decided to join the global COVID-19 vaccine partnership known as COVAX and will earmark 2.5 billion reais ($454 million) for securing vaccines through it, President Jair Bolsonaro’s office said.

Brazil plans to use the COVAX facility, which gives access to several vaccine candidates in development globally, to buy enough supplies to immunize 10% of its population by the end of 2021, the office said in a statement on Thursday. That should cover Brazil’s “priority populations,” it said.

 

Via Reuters

 

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Wheat harvested in Brazil’s semiarid for first time ever

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São Paulo – Wheat has been harvested in Ceará, a dry state with scant water resources in Northeast Brazil, for the first time in history. The farming project was developed by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) in partnership with milling company Santa Lúcia. The first stage took place in a semiarid area, with a fast planting-to-harvest cycle and high yields.

Although the actual planting only started recently, the tropical cultivars (pictured above) that enabled the project started being developed 15 years ago. These varieties do not require much water, so they are well-suited to Ceará as well as the Arab countries across the Middle East and North Africa. “We have the genetic material for four varieties of tropical wheat. We picked the two that performed best, which were BRS404 and BR264,” Osvaldo Vieira, head of Embrapa’s wheat division Embrapa Trigo, told ANBA over the phone.

 

By Thaís Sousa via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Pandemic accelerates wearables market in Brazil

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The wearables market in Brazil has seen an acceleration during the second quarter of 2020, according to new numbers from market analyst firm IDC.

Sales of devices grew by 21.1% between April and June in Brazil compared to the second quarter of 2019. During the period, 208,350 fitbands and smartwatches were sold, according to the report.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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30ª Conferência Anprotec de Empreendedorismo e Ambientes de Inovação

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Entre os dias 23 e 25 de novembro próximo, ocorrerá a 30ª Conferência Anprotec de Empreendedorismo e Ambientes de Inovação, em formato online. O evento da Associação Nacional de Entidades Promotoras de Empreendimentos Inovadores (Anprotec) terá como tema central este ano “Ambientes de Inovação 4.0 – Desafios e Oportunidades na Nova Dinâmica Global”.

 

A Anprotec lançou uma Chamada de Trabalhos, escritos por até cinco autores brasileiros ou estrangeiros, a serem submetidos em duas categorias:

 

(a) artigos inéditos, com até 4.000 palavras, em português ou inglês, e com resumo em português e inglês;

(b) relatos de boas práticas em empresas e ambientes de inovação, em português com, no máximo, 1.500 palavras e resumo estruturado em português e inglês, que deverão narrar experiências e soluções criativas adotadas para a resolução de problemas e seus respectivos resultados.

Os artigos e relatos deverão estar vinculados a, pelo menos, um dos seguintes temas:

 

– Capital Humano: papel e desafios nos Ambientes de Inovação 4.0;

– Inovação Aberta: ecossistema de inovação como instrumentos de transformação das indústrias tradicionais;

– Tecnologia: o papel dos ambientes de inovação para a geração de tecnologia na nova dinâmica global;

– Cidades: ecossistemas de inovação como alavancas para o desenvolvimento urbano sustentável; S;

– Financiamento: novos modelos de sustentabilidade para os ambientes de inovação.

 

Os autores que obtiverem as maiores notas receberão as seguintes premiações:

– Melhor artigo completo: certificado para todos os autores e crédito de R$ 2.000,00 (dois mil reais) em cursos e eventos promovidos pela Anprotec;

– Melhor boa prática em empresa e ambiente de inovação: certificado e crédito de R$ 1.500,00 (um mil e quinhentos reais) em cursos e eventos promovidos pela Anprotec.

 

As inscrições poderão ser realizadas até o dia 28 de setembro na página eletrônica https://easychair.org/account/signin?l=5qxiJBnnkfkhWRUut0eEtc#
Mais informações sobre a Chamada estão disponíveis no edital em https://anprotec.org.br/site/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Chamada-de-Trabalhos_ConferenciaAnprotec2020.pdf

Brazil’s Sao Paulo likely to start COVID-19 immunization in December

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – The governor of Brazil’s São Paulo state, João Doria, said on Wednesday the state is likely to start to immunize its population with China’s Sinovac vaccine for COVID-19 in mid-December, pending regulatory approval.

Brazil has the third-highest number of cases of coronavirus in the world, leading vaccine makers to seek out South America’s largest country to test their candidates.

 

By Eduardo Simões via Yahoo News

 

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Brazil cuts imports duties to zero on more COVID items

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São Paulo – More 12 products related to the fight against the coronavirus were included in the list of goods with temporary import tax exemption in Brazil. Last week, in addition to increasing the number of exempted products, the government extended the exemption for products included in the previous list. The resolution was in force until September 30 and was extended until October 30. COVID-19 vaccines were included in the list.

The 12 products that were added were hemostatic agent in gel composed of gelatin and thrombin, COVID-19 vaccines, parenteral feeding emulsion, multivitamins, glico-physiologic solutions, electrolyte solution with pH 7.4, four types of solution in PVC bags, and surgical hemostatic made with resorbable collagen.

 

By Guilherme Miranda via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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EBANX and PayPal expand digital wallet potential in Brazil

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Payment solutions company EBANX has integrated with PayPal in a bid to maximise the potential of digital wallets in Brazil.

The partnership will mean that EBANX reaches a customer market of over 50 million people, furthering its overall mission of opening up Latin America to global businesses and vice versa.

Founded in 2012, the company is an ardent believer in the power of democratised finance to drive culture, education and entertainment. Already connected with other leading digital payment platforms – Apple Pay and Google Pay – this latest development broadens consumer choice significantly.

 

By William Girling via FinTech

 

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Brazil industrial confidence surges to highest in almost 8 years -survey

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BRASILIA, Sept 21 (Reuters) – Brazilian industrial confidence jumped in September to its highest in almost eight years, a survey showed on Monday, underscoring the sector’s strong rebound from the coronavirus lockdown and divergence from the services side of the economy.

The Fundacao Getulio Vargas’s national industrial confidence index for September rose to a seasonally adjusted 105.9 from 98.7 in August, according to preliminary figures, the index’s highest reading since January 2013.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Nasdaq

 

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Delta and LATAM receive approval in Brazil for joint venture agreement

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PRESS RELEASE: Brasilia, Brazil – September 18, 2020. Delta Air Lines and LATAM Airlines Group S.A. and its affiliates (‘LATAM’) received regulatory approval* yesterday for their trans-American Joint Venture Agreement (‘JVA’) from Brazil’s competition authority, the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE).

The proposed JVA between Delta and LATAM, which was presented to the CADE on July 14, 2020, was approved without conditions, following an evaluation of free competition considerations and taking into account the unprecedented economic impact of COVID-19 on the airline industry. This is the first approval for the JVA between Delta and LATAM since it was signed in May 2020.

 

Via The LoadStar

 

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Brazil To See Extra LNG Imports, Growing Natural Gas Demand Over Next Decade

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Brazil is set to be the center of new liquefied natural gas (LNG) demand activity in Latin America at least over the next decade, according to experts who spoke at a webinar Tuesday organized by the Institute of the Americas.

“Gas remains the transition fuel in Brazil because it allows for the highest possible penetration of wind and solar,” said Roberto Ferreira da Cunha, the director of consultancy BRG Energy & Climate for South America. He added that Brazil has 10 new LNG import plants in different phases of study.

 

By Christopher Lenton via Natural Gas Intelligence

 

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Brazil contracts 8.5m litres in 75th biodiesel auction

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September 21 (Renewables Now) – Brazil’s Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANP) announced on Friday that the country’s 75th complementary biodiesel auction contracted 8.5 million litres (2.3m gallons) in total.

The average price of BRL 5.723 per litre achieved in the tender resulted in a final contract value of around BRL 48.65 million (USD 9m/EUR 7.6m). In all, six producers offered some 9.5 million litres in the tender.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Pompeo continues his South America tour with Brazil

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US State Secretary Mike Pompeo continues his Caribbean and South American tour on Friday with his visit to Brazil after completing final diplomatic meetings in Guyana.

After meeting with Guyana’s President Irfan Ali and his Cabinet on Thursday, Pompeo is scheduled to meet Foreign Minister Hugh Todd and Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Irwin LaRocque.

 

By Beyza Binnur Dönmez via aa.com.tr

 

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Viasat delivers satellite internet to 93% of Brazilians

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Viasat’s high-quality residential internet service has expanded to an additional 14 states in Brazil, delivering services to more than 93% of the country’s population.

Launched across seven states and the Federal district in July, Viasat expects that upon completion of the residential launch rollout by year-end, it will be the only satellite ISP capable of making high-speed internet available across the entire country.

 

By Melanie Mingas via Capacity Media

 

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Brazilian government aims to attract investments with digital transformation initiatives

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The Brazilian government is accelerating initiatives to catch up with the new demands presented by digital transformation and attract private sector investments to these projects, according to senior officials.

At industry event Painel Telebrasil yesterday (15), interim minister at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), Julio Semeghini, mentioned a number of projects aimed at “making the digital transformation reach the greatest number of Brazilians” and, at the same time, create commercial opportunities for sector players.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Q&A: using satellite navigation to revolutionise Brazil’s railway network with Inmarsat

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In the next few years, satellite navigation systems are set to become the norm in the world of railways. The EU, for example, is developing projects such as STARS, which aims to bridge the gap between the European Rail Traffic Management System and the European Global Navigation Satellite System through the use of satellite navigation.

In August, the Italian Railway Network installed a satellite-based management system on a regional line, making history in the EU.

 

By Ilaria Grasso Macola via Railway Technology

 

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Brazil Tariff Rate Quota for Ethanol Extended for 90 Days

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Brazil’s tariff rate quota for ethanol has been extended for an additional 90 days, starting September 14. After expiring on August 31, a 20 percent tariff was temporarily applied to all U.S. ethanol. U.S. corn and ethanol groups expressed disappointment in the move, saying, “we would have preferred Brazil abandon its ethanol import tariffs entirely and resume its free trade posture on ethanol.”

 

Via American AG Radio Network

 

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Brazil may begin using Chinese Covid-19 vaccine in January

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The vaccination of Brazilians against the Covid-19 virus, using a vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech Ltd of China, could begin in January, the Globo website reports, citing a health official in the southeastern Brazilian state of São Paulo, Jean Gorinchteyn.

The Brazilian news website quotes Mr Gorinchteyn as saying he hopes 46 million doses of the vaccine, called CoronaVac, will be available in December.

 

Via Macauhub

 

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Brazil confident it can meet China’s growing appetite for iron ore

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Brazilian officials say there is no room for fear when it comes to the country’s capacity to keep up with Chinese demand for iron ore. Iron ore prices hit six-and-a-half year highs last week as the Chinese construction and manufacturing sector experiences levels of activity last seen almost a decade ago.

In the past three months China’s iron ore imports have climbed 20% year on year, while year-to-date they are up 11% compared to 2019.

 

Via Merco Press

 

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Short-term capacity contracts to boost competition on Bolivia-Brazil Gasbol pipeline

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New York — Brazil’s largest natural gas import pipeline will soon offer short-term transportation contracts for firm and interruptible capacity as regulators look to expand third-party competition and market access.

Following a Sept. 9 regulatory approval for the move, short-term capacity on the 1.1 Bcf/d Bolivia-Brazil Gasbol pipeline could be made available as early as October, the National Petroleum Agency said in a press release.

 

By J. Robinson via S&P Global Platts

 

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Brazil exports 4,000 head of cattle to Lebanon

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São Paulo – This Thursday (10) at the Rio Grande Port 4,000 head of cattle will start being loaded for shipping to Lebanon, alongside 22,000 head of cattle bound for Turkey. The animals hail from Estância del Sur farm, in Capão do Leão, an area near Pelotas in Rio Grande do Sul. The calves are cross-bred from European breeds such as Angus and Brangus. They have been sourced from different farms across the state, are aged from seven to twelve months, weigh about 250 kg each, and are uncastrated.

It will take at least five days to get all the animals onto the ship. According to Leila Vettorello, the general manager for sales and operations with port operator Sagres – which is responsible for shipping the 6,000 animals to Lebanon and 14,500 of the animals bound for Turkey –, the reason for that is the availability of trucks and the time it takes for them to get to the port. The Panamanian ship MV Nada can accommodate all of the cattle at once. The journey is expected to take 28 days. Operator Vanzin is responsible for the remaining 7,500 head of cattle going to Turkey.

 

By Bruna Garcia Fonseca via ANBA

 

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Brazil trials of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine show promising results: governor

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – The governor of Brazil’s São Paulo state said on Wednesday that Phase 3 clinical trials of a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd have shown promising results and it may be available to Brazilians as early as December.

Governor João Doria added that Phase 2 trials of the potential vaccine had shown an immune response of 98% in the elderly.

 

By Eduardo Simões via Reuters

 

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Brazil has the potential to step up exports to Morocco

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São Paulo – There is a world of products that could be exported from Brazil to the Moroccan market. Such was one of the conclusions drawn in the webinar “Morocco and Brazil: Agribusiness Connecting continents,” hosted by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) this Wednesday (9) and viewed by an audience of 880 people. The agricultural attaché at the Embassy of Brazil in Morocco, Nilson Guimarães (pictured above), made the argument during the online event hosted by ABCC president Rubens Hannun.

Guimarães said Brazil can supply more coffee and tropical fruit to Morocco, as well as genetic material for poultry and livestock and what he called Brazilian biodiversity products such as yerba mate, babaçu oil, Baru nut, Brazil nut and açaí.

 

By Bruna Garcia Fonseca via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Brazil Says Central Bank Digital Currency Set For 2022 Rollout

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The race toward central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) is tightening, with Brazil reportedly looking to launch one by 2022 in a bid to help digitize payments. And although it’s not a winner-take-all competition, central banks first out of the gate might prove instructive to those who follow — particularly when it comes to new use cases or the goal of democratizing banking and digital payments.

Roberto Campos Neto, president of Brazil’s central bank, said his country’s new digital currency will work in concert with its new instant-payments system.

 

Via Pymnts

 

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Egypt-Brazil sales up 74% with Mercosur agreement

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São Paulo – Exports from Egypt to Brazil climbed 73.9% ever since Egypt reached a free trade agreement with the Mercosur in September 2017. Exports from Brazil to Egypt, on the other hand, were up 21.1%, as per a survey from Brazil’s National Confederation of Industry (CNI).

The agreement had its third anniversary on September 1st, 2020. Over 2,000 items have been made tariff-free in Mercosur-Egypt trade. As of this month, tariffs will be lifted on 463 items from Egypt to Mercosur, and 719 items from the Mercosur to Egypt.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Interview: Brazil to augment cooperation with China in strategic sectors, says VP

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) — Brazil will continue to expand the benefits of their economic complementarity with China, the country’s Vice President Hamilton Mourao has said, calling for more investment and cooperation in strategic sectors.

“For more than 10 years, China has been our largest trading partner and an important source of investment for Brazil, especially in the energy and infrastructure sectors. Brazil, in turn, is a stable and reliable supplier of safe food for China,” he said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

 

Via Xinhua Net

 

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Brazil could have CBDC in two years, says central bank president

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The president of Banco Central — Brazil’s central bank — has announced Brazilians could expect to see a central bank digital currency before 2023.

According to a Sept. 2 report from news outlet Correio Braziliense, Brazil could be ready for a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in 2022. Roberto Campos Neto, the president of Banco Central, stated that the country’s central bank had already undertaken measures to modernize the Brazilian financial system which has made a CBDC the natural outcome.

 

By Turner Wright via Cointelegraph

 

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Experimental deliveries with drones approved in Brazil

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Latin American drone delivery company, Speedbird Aero, announced it has received regulatory approval from Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency, also known as ANAC, to operate two experimental drone delivery routes in Brazil.

Speedbird Aero operates a proprietary delivery drone with an integrated ParaZero parachute recovery system, and is now the first company in Latin America to win regulatory approval for a drone delivery operation.

 

Via Merco Press

 

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Mensagem escrita pelo Cônsul Geral do Brasil em Nova York, Embaixador Enio Cordeiro

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MENSAGEM DE 7 DE SETEMBRO

Dirijo-me a todos os membros da comunidade brasileira residentes na jurisdição do Consulado-Geral em Nova York nesta ocasião em que celebramos os 198 anos da Independência do Brasil.

Quero iniciar com um profundo e respeitoso agradecimento a todos os funcionários do Consulado-Geral que me acompanharam nos últimos três anos, desde fevereiro de 2018, e cuja dedicação e profissionalismo sempre foram amplamente reconhecidos pela comunidade brasileira. O Consulado-Geral está a serviço de todos e esse é o orgulho de todos nós.

Agradeço também especialmente à Câmara de Comércio Brasil-Estados Unidos e a todos os seus integrantes os contínuos esforços que pudemos conjuntamente desenvolver e as inúmeras oportunidades que tive de participar em atividades da Câmara voltadas a disseminar informações sobre o ambiente político e econômico no Brasil, fortalecer as relações comerciais, financeiras e de investimentos entre os dois países, e acolher altas autoridades brasileiras em visita a Nova York.

Por último, um sincero e agradecido reconhecimento às entidades de cunho laico e religioso que congregam de maneira solidária e cooperativa os cerca de 450 mil brasileiros que residem na jurisdição consular (os estados de Nova York, Nova Jersey, Pennsylvania, e o território britânico ultramarino das Ilhas Bermudas), com as quais o Consulado sempre desenvolveu importantes parcerias na prestação de serviços consulares e no atendimento das demandas comunitárias.

Neste ano celebramos a Data Nacional num momento especialmente difícil e que encerra enormes desafios para todos os brasileiros.
Desejo expressar a solidariedade do Consulado-Geral a todas as famílias brasileiras dolorosamente afetadas pela pandemia, com a perda irreparável de vidas humanas. Quero também reiterar nossa mais sincera disposição de contribuir para aliviar, na medida possível, as dificuldades com que se têm enfrentado os brasileiros residentes na jurisdição.

O Consulado-Geral nunca fechou inteiramente suas portas, mesmo nos momentos mais críticos da pandemia em Nova York. Foi mantido atendimento emergencial e mediante plantões durante os meses de março, abril e maio, especialmente com a prestação de serviços de apoio e documentação de viagem aos brasileiros que regressaram ao nosso País. Nossa página eletrônica foi constantemente atualizada com informações úteis para a comunidade, especialmente no que se refere à disponibilidade de voos, e foram prestados serviços de assistência e de registro civil para habilitar a emissão de documentos.

Desde maio, os serviços presenciais foram sendo progressivamente restabelecidos, observando as etapas de segurança determinadas pelas autoridades locais.

O atendimento pelos correios foi mantido durante todo o período.

Atualmente as equipes consulares têm assegurado atendimento presencial em todas as áreas durante quatro dias por semana, e de forma integral por teletrabalho. Os serviços presenciais são realizados mediante agendamento e através de uma nova plataforma eletrônica (e-consular), ferramenta ágil e moderna que permite a solicitação de serviços, o envio e a conferência “online” de documentos. A página eletrônica do Consulado foi também reformulada, para facilitar o acesso pelos consulentes.

O setor cultural do Consulado lançou recentemente o projeto “Brazilian Culture from Home”, iniciativa de promoção cultural em plataformas digitais e que cobre várias vertentes.

A primeira vertente consiste na publicação de edições especiais de nossa newsletter mensal, que renomeamos “Brazil Arts & Culture from Home”. A segunda vertente é a série #BrightenYourDay, que publica semanalmente produções audiovisuais sobre cultura brasileira nas mídias sociais do Consulado. A terceira consiste em postagens semanais nas redes sociais do Consulado de eventos relevantes na programação cultural brasileira em Nova York, como o lançamento de duas novas traduções de “Memórias Póstumas de Bras Cubas”, obra prima do escritor Machado de Assis. Por último, o Consulado-Geral retomou nesta semana o projeto “Arte no Consulado”, que tem por objetivo divulgar o trabalho de fotógrafos e artistas plásticos brasileiros residentes em Nova York. Convidamos a todos a que sigam e prestigiem essas iniciativas.

Na área educacional, o Consulado-Geral acaba de contratar professora que atuará em programas extracurriculares de ensino na United Nations International School (UNIS) e também desenvolverá atividades de promoção da cultura brasileira e de apoio ao ensino do Português como língua de herança na comunidade brasileira.

O Setor de Promoção Comercial e do Agronegócio segue trabalhando em quatro áreas prioritárias: promoção das exportações brasileiras de bens e serviços; captação de investimentos para projetos de infraestrutura no Brasil, sobretudo a carteira de projetos do Programa de Parcerias de Investimentos; promoção do turismo ao Brasil; e apoio e valorização do empreendedorismo na comunidade brasileira. O setor tem promovido e participado de eventos virtuais em coordenação com entidades e associações brasileiras, como a Câmara de Comércio, Secretaria do Programa de Parceria de Investimentos, APEX-Brasil, Sindimóveis, e ABIMAPI, entre outros.

No dia em que celebramos nossa Independência, os brasileiros devem refletir sobre os desafios que o momento nos traz e sobre a enorme tarefa que recai sobre todos nós, mas também de maneira muito especial sobre nossas autoridades e representantes.

Queremos superar com segurança as dificuldades acrescidas pelos efeitos econômicos da pandemia, que aprofundaram o desemprego e as desigualdades sociais. Queremos um País em que em que a dignidade do ser humano se sobreponha a todas as diferenças. Um País que se transforme com solidariedade, com espírito cívico e responsabilidade política. Um País em que todos se sintam plenamente representados, em democracia e sem exclusões. Um País transparente e responsável, que logre retomar o caminho do crescimento inclusivo.

É com essa profissão de fé que os Embaixadores brasileiros em serviço em Nova York, no Consulado-Geral, na Missão junto às Nações Unidas e no Escritório Financeiro, e o Conselheiro Militar nas Nações Unidas, depositaremos na manhã do 7 de setembro oferenda floral em tributo a José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva, estadista e Patriarca de nossa Independência.

Que tenhamos todos uma Feliz Data Nacional!

Brazil Has the Lowest Rate of Coronavirus Contagion since Late April

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Brazil is among the six South American countries that started this week with the transmission of coronavirus under control, according to calculations by Imperial College, a reference in epidemic monitoring.

The Brazilian transmission rate (Rt) estimated by the British epidemic monitoring center is the lowest since the end of April.

 

By Ana Estela de Sousa Pinto via Folha de S. Paulo

 

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First Gene Therapy Products Approved in Brazil

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Brazil has become the first among the Latin American countries to approve the marketing of gene therapy products. Specifically, the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA) recently granted marketing authorization for Novartis’ gene therapy products Luxturna® and Zolgensma®. As published in the Brazilian Federal Register, Luxturna® received its marketing authorization on August 6th and a few days later, on August 17th, Zolgensma® received its marketing authorization. Prior to ANVISA’s final decision, both products had been approved by the Brazilian Technical Commission of Biosafety (CTNBio), which is responsible for evaluating biosafety of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in Brazil.

 

By Lisa L. Mueller via Lexology

 

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Brazil Announces Equal Pay For Women’s And Men’s National Teams

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Following Brazil’s exit from the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Brazilian forward and legend Marta Vieira da Silva delivered a passionate message to the next generation.

“This is what I ask of all Brazilian girls,” she said. “The future of women’s football is depending on you to survive. It’s wanting it more. It’s taking care of yourself more. It’s training more. It’s being ready to play 90 minutes and able to play 30 minutes more.”

 

By Alana Glass via Forbes

 

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FROM SOY TO COFFEE, BRAZIL AG COMMODITIES RISE TO RECORD PRICES

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The price of Brazilian agricultural commodities such as soybeans, corn, coffee and rice has reached record levels as strong demand and a weak currency drove prices higher in local currency, according to data from Cepea, a research center linked to the São Paulo University. Brazil’s soybean quotes are up by more than 50% in nominal terms compared to the same period last year, as China continues to buy ever larger amounts of the oilseeds from Brazil, Cepea data showed.

 

By Roberto Samora via Successful Farming

 

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Brazil Has 12% Drop in Deaths by Covid-19 in August

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As the second country in the world most affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic, Brazil recorded a fall in total deaths in August compared to the previous month. There were 28,947 deaths from the disease in August against 32,912 in July, a decrease of 12%.

Worldwide, there were 180,649 deaths in August – 16% of this total in Brazil. According to the World Health Organization, 844,312 deaths have been registered since the beginning of the pandemic.

 

Via Folha de São Paulo

 

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Brazil seeks bigger sugar sales to US during ethanol quota talks

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The U.S. and Brazil have not yet reached a deal on U.S. demands to be able to sell the country more ethanol, but the Brazilian government is making clear what it is demanding in return, according to sources in both countries. Brazil wants more access to the lucrative and tightly guarded U.S. sugar market.

The Trump administration, prodded by U.S. lawmakers and lobbyists for America’s corn farmers and ethanol producers, is intent on convincing Brazil to drop its tariff on U.S. ethanol. Meanwhile, Brazil’s Bolsonaro administration is under pressure from the country’s sugar sector to protect farmers’ interests.

 

By Bill Tomson via Agri Pulse

 

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Brazil switches on 5.6-MWp DG solar system in Goias

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September 1 (Renewables Now) – The Brazilian government inaugurated over the weekend a 5.6-MWp solar power system consisting of 26 distributed generation (DG) arrays spread across Goias state.

Located in the municipality of Caldas Novas, the system should be capable of meeting the power demand of 4,265 families. It is owned by domestic hotelier group Grupo diRoma, the Ministry of Mines and Energy said on Sunday.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Brazil reaches towards cybersecurity maturity

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After years of high-profile cyber-attacks, Brazil has received a glowing report for its cyber security maturity.

The Organization of American States (OAS) and the University of Oxford’s cyber security centre consulted with Brazilian government agencies and national Cybersecurity Incident Response Teams to evaluate the nation’s preparedness.

 

Via Anti Corruption Digest

 

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INFFINITO BRAZILIAN FILM FESTIVAL: NO LIMITS FOR BRAZILIAN CINEMA

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Largest and most important Brazilian film festival held outside of Brazil will stream more than 100 movies in the US, from September 26 to October 25.

For the first time ever, the Inffinito Brazilian Film Festival will stream more than 100 Brazilian productions in U.S. territories, from Puerto Rico to Alaska. This is the first time in the United States that audiences beyond Miami and New York will have access to the best films made recently in Brazil and explore the country’s culture through the art of cinema from the comfort of their homes. The program includes fiction and documentary feature films produced and released in 2019/2020, as well as short films, indigenous filmmakers productions, past festival winners and black films, all with English subtitles.

 

Find More Information Here

Hey, developers: Brazil is waiting for you

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Targeting the young, growing Brazilian market may be the smartest decision an app publisher can make this year. App installs have been growing at an impressive 30% year-over-year, easily the largest and fastest growth in the region. With the world’s sixth largest population, Brazil’s smartphone growth has exploded in recent years — up 11% in 2019. But it may have only scratched the surface in terms of where the market could go. In 2019, Brazil had a smartphone penetration of only 45.6%, dwarfed in comparison to top countries like the U.K., Germany, and U.S., which are around 80%.

 

By Matt Tubergen

 

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Brazil ETFs Jump on Easing Liquidity Concerns, Fiscal Economic Support

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Brazil country-specific exchange traded funds climbed Friday after a major institution of the Brazilian financial system moved to ease liquidity concerns and President Jair Bolsonaro aims to spend big on “Pro-Brazil” infrastructure to stimulate a beleaguered economy.

On Friday, the iShares MSCI Brazil Capped ETF (NYSEArca: EWZ) increased 4.3% and the iShares MSCI Brazil Small-Cap ETF (NasdaqGM: EWZS) advanced 3.4%.

 

By Max Chen via ETF Trends

 

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Roundup: Brazil’s industrial confidence continues to rise in August

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) — Confidence among Brazil’s industrialists increased for the fourth consecutive month in August, almost fully rebounding from the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, a Brazilian economic think tank said on Thursday.

According to the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV), the Industrial Confidence Index rose by 8.9 points in August to 98.7, recovering 40.5 points or 93.8 percent of the 43.2 points it lost in March and April, when the pandemic started to take hold.

 

Via Xinhua.net

 

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BRAZIL TO ERASE IMPORT TARIFFS ON CORN, RICE AND SOYBEAN TEMPORARILY -REPORT

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SAO PAULO, Aug 27 (Reuters) – Brazilian government has decided to remove temporarily import tariffs on rice, corn and soybeans, an Agriculture Ministry official told local newspaper Valor Economico.

The move aims at fighting inflation, as prices for the three products have risen recently, according to the report.

 

By Carolina Mandl via Successful Farming

 

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Number of fintechs in Brazil grew 28% this year in comparison to 2019

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The number of fintechs operating in Brazil went from 604 in June last year to 771 in August this year, a 28% growth, according to the 9th edition of Radar Fintechlab survey.

FintechLab co-founder, Fábio Gonsalez, said that there is a high number of new firms present in this edition. Of the 771 companies present, 270 of them, about 35% ,were not included in the previous version of the report. “It is a strong indication that they are startups that are less than a year old. This proves once again that the ecosystem continues to find opportunities to improve services and create new solutions that are very strongly influenced by regulatory advances such as Open Banking and PIX, for example ”, he says.

 

By Marcelo Bradaschia via LABS

 

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From green to instant coffee, Brazilian innovates in Dubai

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São Paulo – In 2014, Brazilian businesswoman Maria Eduarda Becker (pictured above) began her journey in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. She arrived in the country as a barista and established herself as a leading professional there and in neighboring countries such as Saudi Arabia. Now, Becker owns Três Marias Coffee, a brand that she created to offer courses and training to coffee professionals and the public at large. She is also a partner of the trade company Ally Coffee in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and works with them to create market for green coffee, particularly from Brazil and Colombia.

The entrepreneur defends a broader view of the product, going beyond the current hype. “My slogan is ‘Specialty Coffee Made Simple.’ Is it special? Yes, because it’s high-quality. But countries like Brazil show that specialty coffee is made just like any other commodity. It’s just business. It’s made by businesspeople that want to grow and diversify the industry,” she told ANBA.

 

By Thaís Sousa via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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After Five Months, Brazil Finally Expands Covid-19 Testing

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Early in the pandemic, the World Health Organization emphasized testing in controlling the pandemic. The phrase, uttered by the Director-General of WHO, Tedros Adhanom, and reverberated around the world. The countries that have best faced the pandemic have had mass testing strategies. After five months, Brazil’s testing capacity is still in its infancy.

But the recent inauguration of a new testing unit at Fiocruz (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz) in Rio de Janeiro, with a processing capacity of up to 15,000 RT-PCR exams per day, and the expectation of opening another unit on Monday ( 24), in the metropolitan region of Fortaleza (CE), with a capacity of 10,000 daily samples, will finally elevate the country to the level of testing in countries such as the United States and England.

 

By Ana Bottallo via Folha de S. Paulo

 

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Arabs eligible to pursue graduate studies in Brazil in 2021

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São Paulo – Students from the Arab countries Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon and Syria are eligible to pursue graduate studies in Brazil in 2021. Enrolments will be accepted until September 30 for the selection process of Programa de Estudantes-Convênio de Graduação (PEC-G), the Secretariat for Higher Education at the Brazilian Ministry of Education said.

The PEC-G program is available to students from countries in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Oceania, Asia, and Europe with which Brazil sustains agreements. After completing the program, students are expected to return to their countries of origin. Seats are made available free of charge at Brazilian universities, which are tasked with informing the Ministry of Education how many seats are available, and in what courses.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Internet use increases among poor Brazilians

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There has been a significant increase in online access to financial offerings and government services in Brazil among low-income citizens, according to a study on the role of the Internet during the Covid-19 outbreak.

The study carried out by Cetic.br, research arm of the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br) suggests that Internet access through all devices has gone up significantly and online traffic in Brazil has reached record levels in the last five months, peaking at 13,5 Tbps.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Brazilian Crypto Companies to Self-Regulate: Target a $100 Billion Market by Year-End

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Brazilian crypto companies have signed a code of self-regulation that aims to legitimize and to boost adoption of crypto assets in the country. The document was signed under the auspices of Abcripto, the country’s association of cryptocurrency companies.

According to regional media reports, Brazilian firms that specialize in cryptocurrency custody services, brokerage services, and exchanges “will now have to incorporate measures to prevent crime and money laundering on their platforms.”

 

By Terence Zimwara via Bitcoin.com

 

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Brazil Notes: Cross-Border Payments Unicorn Ebanx Launches Logistics Startup In The US

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Brazilian fintech Ebanx has launched a logistics startup in the United States as part of a strategy to get more international e-commerce firms to tap into the Latin American consumer market.

With its new logistics arm Leve, Ebanx is positioning itself as a strategic partner for retailers wanting to reach Latin markets and are not doing so due to the currently precarious experience consumers in those countries face when buying products from international e-commerce firms.

 

By Angelica Mari via Forbes

 

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Stimulating Brazil’s Bioeconomy

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SÃO PAULO – In the midst of the growing climate crisis, the world can no longer rely solely on old models of economic development. In this context, the concept of a bioeconomy – activities that produce relatively little carbon, using high-value-added processes – is gaining increasing prominence. But governments and civil-society actors face differing institutional and economic obstacles on the path to a true bioeconomy.

Given historical and current global energy-consumption trends, some European and North American countries have taken seriously the goal of developing renewable energy sources. On the other hand, some countries in the Global South, where agriculture represents the main source of greenhouse-gas emissions and biodiversity loss, face the challenge of establishing a bioeconomy based on new agricultural models.

By Pedro Frizo via Project Syndicate

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Brazil eyes blockchain to snap carbon credit logjam

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Brazil’s biofuels industry is considering blockchain technology to clear logjams that are preventing corn ethanol and biodiesel plants from issuing carbon credits.

According to a recent industry webinar, officials involved in talks between the government and industry leaders are mapping out the challenges of traceability – that is, the ability to document the production process of each corn ethanol or biodiesel plant all the way back to the tens of thousands of corn or soybean farmers that produce the feedstock grains.
”Blockchain technologies may be a solution for improving traceability,” Alexandre Alonso, head of the agroenergy department at the government’s crop research company Embrapa, adding that the approach would also protect proprietary information.
Blockchain, widely used in the cryptocurrency industry, is a digital system that preserves a record of transactions along a supply chain on to a peer-to-peer network for transparency.
Brazil began implementing its sweeping biofuels law known as Renovabio this year. But certification of biofuel plants to issue the carbon credits known as Cbios has lagged.

 

Via Argus

 

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Brazil sees early signs coronavirus spread is slowing

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BRASILIA/RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – The spread of coronavirus in Brazil could be about to slow, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday, amid reports the transmission rate has fallen below the key level and early signs of a gradual decline in the weekly totals of cases and fatalities.

The cautious optimism comes despite figures again showing a steady rise in the number of confirmed cases and death toll in the last 24 hours, cementing Brazil’s status as the world’s second biggest COVID-19 hot spot after the United States.

 

By Ricardo Brito and Pedro Fonseca via Reuters

 

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Brazil approves final tests of J&J virus vaccine

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Brazilian health regulators said Tuesday they had approved Johnson & Johnson’s experimental vaccine against the new coronavirus for the final stage of clinical trials, the fourth vaccine to receive widespread testing in the hard-hit country.

The US pharmaceutical company’s subsidiary Janssen will test the vaccine on 7,000 volunteers across seven states in Brazil, part of a group of up to 60,000 worldwide, health regulator Anvisa said in a statement.

 

Via Asia Times

 

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Petrobras orders third FPSO for giant Mero field offshore Brazil

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RIO DE JANEIRO – Petrobras and its partners have committed to the third development phase of the Mero project in the Libra block in Brazil’s presalt Santos basin.

The company has signed a letter of intent with Malaysian contractor MISC Berhad for the charter and services for the FPSO Marechal Duque de Caxias for the Mero field, thought to hold up to 4 Bbbl of recoverable oil.

 

Via Offshore

 

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COVID, Boomers and Karens: Oh my!

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In the first program of this new monthly series, join Greenspoon Marder IP attorneys for a lively discussion around unique pop culture trademark issues.

You’ll hear about hundreds of pending trademark applications for “COVID,” and a bunch of trademark applications for “Ok, Boomer” and variations of “Karen.” Oh my, what a mess!

Aug 27, 2020 01:00 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)

 

Click here to Register

Why Brazil Increased Its Airline Bailout

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Last week, the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) announced an increase in the airline bailout, from 2.4 billion reais (US$440 million) to 3.6 billion reais (US$660 million). Why did the bank do that? Also, what are the airlines thinking about financial support? Let’s investigate further.

Since March, Brazilian airlines and the BNDES have been negotiating on a bailout to help them during the COVID-19 crisis. However, the talks between the parties have had delays over and over again.

 

By Daniel Martínez Garbuno via Simple Flying

 

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Brazil imported 2.5 GW of PV panels in first half of 2020

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The Brazilian solar market seems not to have been significantly slowed down by the Covid-19 crisis, according to a new report from Brazil-based consultancy Greener.

The company’s analysts reported that total module shipments in the market in the first half of the year totaled 2,599 MW, with panel imports reaching 2,490 MW and domestic products accounting for 109 MW, which represents around 4.4% of the total market share.

 

By Emiliano Bellini via PV Magazine

 

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Brazilian startup to trial drones in food delivery

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Brazilian startup iFood has received authorization from Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) to start experimental flights with drones to support its food delivery service.

iFood’s partner companies Speedbird Aero and AL Drones had been working towards securing the authorization for nearly a year. The companies carried out rehearsals as part of the project with ANAC’s participation and received the Experimental Flight Authorization Certificate from the agency on August 5.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Brazil’s Bolsonaro faces tough choice on U.S. ethanol trade

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NEW YORK/SAO PAULO, Aug 14 (Reuters) – Brazil is facing a difficult choice between going up against a powerful local sugar lobby and angering a key ally, U.S. President Donald Trump, as a major decision on international ethanol trade looms.

A Brazilian tax-free ethanol import quota used entirely by U.S. producers is set to expire on Aug. 31, unless the government renews it. Allowing 750 million liters per year, it is a welcome volume for U.S. ethanol makers as the pandemic hit their business.

 

By Marcelo Teixeira, Stephanie Kelly, Roberto Samora and Caroline Stauffer via Reuters

 

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Brazil not yet ready to buy Russia vaccine, says health minister

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Brazil will require more information and talks before it commits to buying the Russian COVID-19 vaccine, which is at a very early stage, the country’s acting health minister said on Thursday.

With the world’s second-worst coronavirus outbreak, Brazil has become a magnet for drugmakers seeking partners to test their potential vaccines – and then produce and buy the successful candidates.

 

Via The Jakarta Post

 

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Brazil, Latin America’s Covid Hotbed, Leads Its Economic Rebound

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Brazil, home to the most severe Covid-19 outbreak in Latin America, is emerging with the region’s shallowest recession this year, thanks to a faster economic reopening and temporary stimulus measures.

The nation that trails only the U.S. as a global virus hotspot has seen key indicators including industrial output and retail sales outstrip economist expectations just as stores and factories resume operations and the government spends billions of dollars worth of emergency aid.

 

By Andrew Rosati via Bloomberg

 

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Brazil crop output to be up 3.8% this year: IBGE

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Rio de Janeiro – Brazil’s cereal, legume and oilseed output is expected to be 250.5 million tons this year. If the forecast from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) proves true, output will be 9 million tons and 3.8% bigger than in 2019.

The IBGE’s July forecast is up 1.3% from the one from June. The planted area estimate is 64.9 million hectares, up 2.6% year-over-year.

 

By Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Chile´s Senate approves trade pact with Brazil

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SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Chile´s Senate approved late on Tuesday a free trade agreement with Brazil, cementing the South American nation´s long-standing relationship with its top trade partner in Latin America.

The agreement, which builds on rules facilitating commerce already in effect between Chile and Mercosur bloc nations Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, is likely to boost thriving trade between the two nations.

 

By Dave Sherwood via WKZO

 

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Twitter tests automatic translations in Brazil

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Some Twitter users in Brazil may be seeing a timeline that’s purely in Brazilian Portuguese even if they’re following accounts that usually tweet in other languages. That’s because Twitter has started testing automatic translations in the region “to make it easier to understand the conversations [they] follow.” In a blog post by Twitter Brazil, the company said the feature will be on by default for a limited number of users on both iOS and Android. While Twitter already has a translation feature, users still have to click or tap a tweet to activate it.

 

By Mariella Moon via Engadget

 

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Bitcoin trading soars in Argentina, Brazil as local currencies weaken

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While DeFi may have some traders dreaming of complicated lending strategies and governance protocols, in certain parts of the world it’s still Bitcointhat promises a censorship-resistant way to protect against rapidly inflating local currencies.

According to a recent report from analytics firm Arcane Research, Bitcoin has just broken price records in Argentina, Brazil, and Turkey—with growth (in fiat terms) of 169%, 20%, and 5%, respectively, over the last two months.

 

By José Antonio Lanz via Decrypt

 

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Western Union Expands International Payment Services in Brazil

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SÃO PAULO, Brasil–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Western Union Company, a leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement and payments, today announced an expansion of services between its Western Union Business Solutions division and Banco SEMEAR in Brazil to offer the WU® GlobalPay for FI platform, the Company’s solution for financial institutions that enables customers to make international payments simply and efficiently.

GlobalPay for FI provides the benefits of international payment services without the need to invest in new banking systems infrastructure. Western Union Business Solutions’ online platform allows for processing transactions using a network that spans more than 200 countries and territories, and is available in more than 130 currencies. GlobalPay for FI is a simple and intuitive system that facilitates the creation of international payments.

 

Via Business Wire

 

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E-Commerce Gains hold in Brazil with 5.7 Million Consumers

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Stores have started to reopen after the social distance measures, but customers are returning to shopping slowly. The perception among executives in the commerce sector is that new consumers of different age and income groups have joined the ease of buying over the internet – and digital sales are expected to reach higher levels than pre-Covid.

Retailers recorded a loss of 36% in revenue during the pandemic, and the drop was not only more profound due to the performance of e-commerce, evaluate experts in the segment. Data released this Wednesday (22) by Neotrust / Compre & Confie, a market intelligence company, reflects this consumer movement.

 

By Paula Soprana via Folha de S. Paulo

 

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Brazil Consumer Prices Rose More Quickly in July on Fuel, Electricity

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SÃO PAULO–Brazil’s inflation accelerated in July from the previous month as fuel and electricity prices increased

Consumer prices increased 0.36% from June, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, or IBGE, said Friday. Prices rose 2.31% from a year earlier. In June, prices rose 0.26% and increased 2.13% from a year earlier.

 

By Jeffrey T. Lewis via Market Screener

 

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Brazil’s Bolsonaro orders $360 million to be set aside for AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro issued a decree on Thursday that will set aside 1.9 billion reais ($356 million) in funds to purchase and eventually produce the potential COVID-19 vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca PLC and Oxford University researchers.

 

By Anthony Boadle and Pedro Fonseca via Reuters

 

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Brazil doubled oil exports during July

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Brazilian oil exports more than doubled in July to 8.19 million tons, compared to 3.76 million tons shipped in July 2019, according to data released by the Foreign Trade Secretariat, Secex.

The volume was the second-highest in 2020, behind the 8.4 million tons shipped in May, and it also approaches the monthly record registered in December 2019, when the country exported 8.5 million tons of oil.

 

Via Merco Press

 

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Brazil cuts its benchmark interest rate to an all-time low

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Brazil’s central bank cut its key interest rate by a quarter point to an all-time low and didn’t rule out additional reductions as policy makers seek to stimulate an economy ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic.

The central bank, led by its President Roberto Campos Neto, on Wednesday lowered the benchmark Selic to 2% following back-to-back reductions of 75 basis points, as forecast by 33 of 37 economists in a Bloomberg survey. The other four analysts expected borrowing costs to remain steady.

 

By Mario Sergio Lima via Al Jazeera

 

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Sugar exports from Brazil up nearly 100%

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São Paulo – Sugar exports from Brazil nearly doubled year-on-year in July, as per numbers from the Brazilian Ministry of Economy’s Secretariat of Foreign Trade (Secex). Exports were up 83% in revenue and 91% in volume.

Last July saw 3.4 million tons of sugar and molasses shipped from Brazil, up from 1.8 million tons in July 2019. Revenue climbed to USD 964.3 million in July of this year from USD 528 million in July 2019.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Getting Ready for Brazil’s New Data Protection Law (LGPD)

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Brazil’s new Data Protection Law (LGPD), modeled largely on the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), could go into effect as early as August 27, 2020. Once effective, organizations with operations in Brazil will be required to implement a comprehensive data protection program addressing employment related data, including, for example, data processing notices for applicants and employees, agreements with service providers that handle applicants’ and employees’ data, information security policies and procedures, processes for responding to employees’ requests to exercise their rights, and the designation of a “person in charge”.

The panel will explain the complex legislative maneuvering surrounding the LGPD’s effective date, describe key compliance requirements, and provide practical tips for addressing implementation.

To enhance the experience and the discussions, the panel would like to hear your concerns relating to these topics, so please send questions in advance to OSuarez@littler.com. Please forward your questions by July 31st.

 

Webinar is complimentary.

Our webinar audience capacity is limited – register soon.

Login information will be provided to participants the day before the webinar.

Speakers:

Renata Neeser, Shareholder
Philip L. Gordon, Shareholder | Co-Chair, Privacy and Background Checks Practice Group

August 6, 2020

Time Zones:

11:00 a.m. PT
12:00 p.m. MT
1:00 p.m. CT
2:00 p.m. ET
3:00 p.m. BRT

Duration:
60 Minutes

 

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Brazil leverages breakthroughs in technology, productivity and safety to lead global agriculture and livestock market amid COVID-19

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BRASÍLIA, Brazil, Aug. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Apex-Brasil (the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency), together with its partners from the private sector, today shared critical insights outlining the country’s upward trajectory in agriculture and livestock production, despite recent challenges predicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. A series of seven factsheets highlights Brazil’s continued advancements in agricultural technology, productivity and safety, which have positioned the country to effectively manage through the current crisis and prepare for a post-pandemic future.

These factsheets come out at a pivotal moment when the global agriculture market has been severely impacted by COVID-19. In fact, there’s mounting evidence that suggests that an estimated 265 million people could face acute food insecurity by 2020 – up from an estimate of 136 million people prior to the pandemic. However, despite these alarming trends, Brazil’s agricultural growth is showing no signs of slowing down. According to IPEA (the Ministry of Economy’s Institute of Applied Economic Analysis), Brazil’s agricultural sector is estimated to grow by 2.5% this year, with some private sector analysts estimating it could reach as high as 3%.

 

Via PR Newswire

 

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Most optimistic Brazil GDP outlook in over a month: central bank survey

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – The gloom surrounding Brazil’s economy lifted for a fifth week in a row, a central bank survey of economists showed on Monday, with the average forecast for 2020 gross domestic product now showing a decline of 5.7%.

That compares with -6.5% a month ago, and while it would still comfortably represent the steepest annual downturn on record, it is the most optimistic outlook since May.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Reuters

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Brazil Central Bank Authorizes Tests of Facebook’s WhatsApp Pay, Mastercard and Visa Say

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SAO PAULO — Brazil’s central bank has authorized testing of payments via Facebook Inc’s messaging service WhatsApp in the country, Visa Inc and Mastercard Inc said on Friday, easing an outright ban on the service imposed last month.

The ubiquitious messaging service in Brazil was finally entering the arena of payments by launching the service on June 15, after years of questions on how Facebook would make money from WhatsApp.

 

By Aluisio Alves via The New York Times

 

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Brazil exports about a million tons of halal poultry

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The information was released this week by the “Comex do Brasil” website and shows Brazilian companies currently is the world leader on halal animal protein for both production and exports. “The Arab world is of great importance to the Brazilian economy. It is an extremely promising market and we need to strengthen our bilateral relations increasingly because this market still has a high potential”, said Ali Saifi, CEO of Cdial Halal, a certifying entity of halal practices.

 

Via Poultry World

 

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Brazil reopens to foreigners despite virus crisis

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Brazil reopened Wednesday to foreign visitors arriving by plane, hoping to revive its lockdown-devastated tourism industry despite the rapid spread of the new coronavirus in the country.

In a decree published in the government gazette, Brazil extended coronavirus-related bans on foreign travelers arriving by land or sea for another 30 days, but said the four-month-old restrictions “will no longer bar the entry of foreigners arriving by air.”

 

Via Macau Business.com

 

Read full article here

Invest in Brazil Infrastructure – US Edition

Posted on
Discover the best investment opportunities in Brazil focusing on the US audience.

Time to invest wisely.
Join us August 11th at 10:30am (in Brazil GMT -3) for the Invest in Brasil Infrastructure – US Session. The event is part of a series of online seminars in 2020 that will present the best investment opportunities in the country. This time focusing on the US audience.

The Infrastructure sector is one of the priorities of the Brazilian Federal Government. In addition, the U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum has also included infrastructure as a priority topic in its recommendations. Follow in this event what Brazil has been doing to become more attractive to the American capital and show the best projects to leverage the country and bring return to its investors.

Follow this high-level debate and learn about the prospects for infrastructure in Brazil’s economic development and also learn about the best infrastructure projects available for investment.

Great projects; space for networking and renowned keynote speakers.

All in a single event. Online. Get connected.

Invest in Brasil.

 

INVEST IN BRASIL INFRASTRUCTURE –
US EDITION
Date: August 11th
Time: 10:30AM (in Brazil, GMT -3)
Location: Online, broadcast from Brasil and USA

 

Register Here

China’s Sinopharm to test potential COVID-19 vaccine in Brazil

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RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Chinese drug company Sinopharm and Parana state have agreed to launch the fourth major COVID-19 vaccine trial in Brazil and will seek regulatory approval in the next two weeks, the Brazilian partners said on Wednesday.

A trial by Sinopharm would join Phase III trials already announced in Brazil by AstraZeneca, Sinovac Biotech and a Pfizer partnership with BioNTech.

 

By Pedro Fonseca via Reuters

 

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Five fishing ports in Brazil to be privatized

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Brasília – Brazil’s federal government has included five state-run fishing ports in its privatization effort, the Investment Privatizations Program (PPI). A decree published in the Official Gazette this Tuesday (28) provides that ports in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte; Aracaju, Sergipe (pictured); Vitória, Espírito Santo; and Santos and Cananeia, in the state of São Paulo.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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As Pandemic Rages, Brazil Sees Busiest IPO Market Since 2007

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(Bloomberg) — One of the world’s worst hotspots for the coronavirus is also seeing the fastest pace of initial public offerings in more than a decade.

From builders to retailers, five Brazilian companies are due to hold IPOs over the next two weeks, the highest number for any fortnight since 2007, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. An education firm, which is going public in the U.S. but has yet to announce a pricing date, could boost the tally to six.

By Vinicius Andrade, Andre Romani Pinto and Felipe Marques via Bloomberg Quint

 

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Egypt to import chicken products from Brazil

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São Paulo – High-priced beef on international markets has triggered a quest for more affordable protein in Egypt, and this has helped pave the way for sales of Brazilian-made chicken products to the Arab country. About a week ago, Egypt gave the greenlight to imports of poultry-based products from Brazil. The category includes items such as nuggets, canned chicken meat, chicken sausages and chicken mortadella. Sales have also been cleared for the processed turkey product known as ‘blanquet’ in Brazil.

“Strong demand for beef in China caused prices to go up quite significantly, by 19.2% year-on-year through May, so demand for cheaper proteins is going up,” the agricultural attaché at the Embassy of Brazil in Cairo, Cesar Simas Teles, told ANBA. He noted that total shipped volume of poultry from Brazil to Egypt climbed 27% year-on-year in H1.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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How Employers Can Support Working Parents During Reopening & Beyond

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Event Summary

Following this unprecedented time in history of dismantling what was once “normal” means many businesses are being called to innovate. Employers have this moment to harness these challenges head on and create new systems to support their employees safely for future success.

According to the Department of Labor, 97.5% of the workforce has at least one working parent. Reopening the office for these particular employees requires more than a return to normal. It requires reinvention and accelerating operational solutions that counter uncertainty and set your workplace up to thrive.

Our digital speaker event features an incredible lineup of leading-edge voices and companies that offer support, information and real solutions to strengthen the workplace for your working parent employees. From safety and cleanliness to mental health, legal and financial support and even integrated family care, Back to Business: How Employees Can Support Working Parents During Reopening The Office & Beyond is an afternoon discussion not to be missed by any employer.

Hosted by the Co-Founder + CEO of WRK/360, Mary Beth Ferrante, we hope you will join us for this powerful exchange of ideas and information.

Event Schedule

  • Are We Returning to the Office? An opening statement by host, Mary Beth Ferrante
  • Supporting the Mental Health of our Parents and Children post Shelter-in-Place with Ms. Nelly Johnson, LMFT, Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health
  • Legal Considerations for Navigating COVIDs New World of Work with TiLT COO, Kait Feeney
  • Return to Work Success Stories to Inspire Your Workplace Plan with Quiana L. McCray, Leader, People & Culture
  • Flexible, Financial Support for Working Parents with Arvorie Co-Founder + CEO, Pedro Silva
  • Innovating Integration of Family Care at the Office as a Benefit with Ahmni Co. Founder + CEO, Jess Zaino
  • Audience Q + A moderated by host, Mary Beth Ferrante

 

Date And Time

Thu, July 30, 2020

1:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT

Brazil 2020 GDP outlook improves again to -5.8% – cenbank survey

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BRASILIA, July 27 (Reuters) – The outlook for Brazil’s economy improved for the fourth week in a row, a central bank survey of economists showed on Monday, with signs of recovery from the worst of the crisis lifting some of the heavy gloom that had built up in recent months.

Brazil’s gross domestic product will shrink 5.8% this year, according to the central bank’s weekly ‘FOCUS’ survey of around 100 economists, compared with a GDP fall of 5.95% forecast last week and 6.5% a month ago.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Market Screener

Read full article here

RPT-CHINA’S SOYBEAN IMPORTS FROM BRAZIL RISE TO RECORD IN JUNE

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BEIJING, July 26 (Reuters) – China’s soybean imports in June from top supplier Brazil soared to a record high, according to customs data released on Sunday, driven by growing demand for soybeans as China’s pig herd recovers after deadly outbreaks of African swine fever.

The world’s top soybean buyer brought in 10.51 million tonnes of the oilseed from the South American country in June, up 91% from 5.5 million tonnes in the previous year, data from the General Administration of Customs showed. The June figures were also up 18.6% from May imports from Brazil at 8.86 million tonnes.

 

Via Successful Farming

 

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Brazil ranks high in UN e-government index

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Advances made over the last year and particularly during the Covid-19 outbreak positioned Brazil as one of the fast-movers in digital government globally, according to the latest United Nations E‑Government Survey.

Brazil is one of the 18 countries in the Americas that ranked in the “very high” group of the report’s E-Government Development Index (EGDI) group for the first time, along with Argentina, Chile and Costa Rica.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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BRAZIL BUYS RUSSIAN WHEAT AFTER EXPANDING EX-MERCOSUR QUOTA

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MOSCOW/SAO PAULO, July 22 (Reuters) – Russia shipped two wheat cargoes to Brazil this month, totaling 60,000 tonnes, in the first trades of their kind this year, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

Purchases of the Russian cereal, confirmed by sources at trading firms Sodruzhestvo and Glencore, followed a new tariff-free quota for Brazilian wheat imports from outside the Mercosur bloc, which includes neighboring Argentina, Brazil’s main wheat supplier.

 

By Polina Devitt, Olga Popova and Roberto Samora via Successful Farming

 

Read full article here

Brazil eliminates import duties for cells, modules, inverters and trackers

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Brazil’s Resolution No. 70, of July 16 – published on Monday in official journal Diário Oficial da União – will remove import duties for goods including several types of PV module, inverter and solar tracker.

The measure, taken by the Foreign Chamber of Commerce of the Ministry of Economy, listed 101 types of exempt solar module as well as some three-phase inverters and trackers.

 

By Pilar Sánchez Molina via pv magazine

 

Read full article here

Brazil set to test Chinese coronavirus vaccine

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Sao Paulo (AFP) – Brazil will begin advanced clinical testing of a Chinese-made vaccine against the new coronavirus Tuesday, issuing the first doses to around 900 volunteers, officials said.

The coronavirus vaccine, developed by private Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac, is the third in the world to enter Phase 3 trials, or large-scale testing on humans — the last step before regulatory approval.

 

Via Yahoo News

 

Read full article here

‘Brics’ bank lends Brazil $1 bln to soften COVID-19 economic blow

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RIO DE JANEIRO, July 20 (Reuters) – The New Development Bank of the “BRICS” group of leading emerging economies will lend Brazil $1 billion to help combat the economic damage from the COVID-19 crisis, the institution said on Monday.

The funds will be allocated to the federal government’s emergency aid payment program, which the NDB estimates could benefit 5 million informal workers, low-income families and unemployed people.

 

By Rodrigo Viga Gaierd via Reuters

 

Read full article here

Brazil boosts oil exports to Asia as global rivals make record cuts

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RIO DE JANEIRO/MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Brazil increased crude exports to Asia in the first half of the year, stealing a slice of a coveted developing market from global rivals who made record cuts to shipments to match the unprecedented fall in demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The rise reflects Brazil’s growing clout among global oil producers as its massive offshore projects come online. Brazil is expected to deliver one of the biggest increases to global supply in the next five years from nations outside of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, according to the International Energy Agency.

 

By Sabrina Valle and Marianna Parraga via Reuters

 

Read full article here

CORONAVIRUS/Taiwan donates 100,000 face masks to Brazil to fight COVID-19

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Sao Paulo, Brazil, July 17 (CNA) Taiwan earlier this week donated 100,000 surgical face masks to Manaus, a city in Brazil which has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

To help the city’s residents fight the disease, Chang Tsung-che (張崇哲), Taiwan’s representative to Brazil, on Tuesday donated the face masks to the city on behalf of the Taiwanese government in a virtual meeting with Marcelo Magaldi, director of Manaus’s health department.

 

By Tang Ya-Ling and Frances Huang via Focus Taiwan

 

Read full article here

JP Morgan invests in Brazil’s FitBank

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JP Morgan has acquired a minority stake in Brazilian fintech startup FitBank, according to local reports. Details of the investment were not disclosed.

Founed in 2015, FitBank describes itself as the largest open banking outfit in Brazil, providing a white label platform that lets banks and fintechs offer bill payment, online treasury, banking, financial management, transfers and escrow services.

Via Finextra

 

Read full article here

How Social Impact Start-ups Are Solving Brazil’s Covid-19 Challenges

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The persistent problem of inequality in Latin America leaves citizens more vulnerable to the coronavirus. Innovative platforms move towards balancing the scales.

In the current crisis, Brazil is unfortunately the country with the second highest number of cases, surpassing one million Covid-19 positive tests by mid-June. A month later, more than 70,000 lives have been lost.

 

By Fabian Salum and Felipe Monteiro

 

Read full article here

News from Brazil

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Hello everyone and welcome to this month’s News from Brazil.

As a way to share with our clients, partners and friends worldwide what has been going on in Brazil lately, Drummond Advisor’s team have compiled the news and articles you will find below.

All the best,

Pedro Drummond.

 

BC reduces interest rates for the 8th time, at 2.25% per year, the lowest level in history

Agribusiness grows, reduces economic slump and should be the engine of recovery

Supreme considers constitutional Outsourcing Law

Oxford vaccine against Covid-19 will be tested in Salvador; in total, there will be 5,000 volunteers in Brazil

BC announces credit line for micro, small and medium-sized companies

Guedes says he will launch Renda Brasil program and confirms extension of emergency aid in 2 months

EMERGING MARKETS-Brazil stocks at over 4-mth high; Chilean c.bank meeting awaited

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July 15 (Reuters) – Brazilian stocks hit a more than four-month high on Wednesday as signs of progress in developing a coronavirus vaccine invited more buying into risk-driven assets, even as COVID-19 cases piled.

The Bovespa stock index .BVSP rose about 1% to its highest level since early March, propped up by financial and energy stocks.

 

By Shreyashi Sanyal and Ambar Warrick via Nasdaq

 

Read full article here

Escritório Mattos Filho abre unidade em Campinas

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É com grande satisfação que convidamos você a participar de mais um capítulo da nossa história. No dia 23 de julho, em um webinar, o Mattos Filho inaugura um novo endereço, em Campinas, marcando presença em seis cidades, ao lado de São Paulo, Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, Nova Iorque e Londres.

Os participantes do webinar terão a oportunidade de conhecer mais a respeito dos objetivos e relevância do novo projeto, além de assistir à palestra do economista José Roberto Mendonça de Barros, que abordará as perspectivas econômicas e de investimento na região.

José Roberto Mendonça de Barros é economista, professor e fundador da MB Associados, uma das principais empresas de consultoria econômica do Brasil.
Com doutorado em Economia pela USP e pós-doutorado no Economic Growth Center pela Yale University, José Roberto participou de projetos como a estruturação do Novo Mercado para a Bovespa e integrou conselhos e comitês de grandes organizações. Foi secretário de Política Econômica do Ministério da Fazenda entre 1995 e 1998 e recebeu, em 1998, o título de “Economista do Ano” e, em 2019, o prêmio Ney Bittencourt de Araújo de “Personalidade do Agronegócio”.

Palestrantes Mattos Filho
Roberto Quiroga – Sócio-diretor
João Colussi – Sócio
Vilma Kutomi – Sócia

*Evento ministrado em Português.
———————————–

O Mattos Filho está comprometido em proteger o direito de privacidade de dados de todos que nos fornecem informações pessoais.

Coletamos e mantemos seus dados para a execução de nossos serviços e para fornecer conteúdo relevante para seu negócio, conforme
estabelecido em nossa Política de Privacidade.

Jul 23, 2020 06:00 PM in Sao Paulo

Brazil Retailer Raises at Least $1 Billion in Share Sale

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(Bloomberg) — Lojas Americanas SA, the Brazilian retailer controlled by billionaire trio Jorge Paulo Lemann, Marcel Telles and Carlos Alberto Sicupira, raised at least $1.1 billion in a share sale, four people familiar with the transaction said.

The firm sold preferred shares at 34.50 reais ($6.43) each, the people said, asking not to be named because the information isn’t public yet. It also sold voting stock at 29.78 reais apiece, the people said. That would mean it raised at least 5.83 billion reais. The deal also includes a possible over-allotment that could increase the amount to as much as 7.9 billion reais, according to calculations based on the prospectus.

By Vinicius Andrade, Felipe Marques and Rachel Gamarski via Yahoo Finance Canada

Read full article here

Brazil Scientists To Tackle Coronavirus In New Research Center

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Brazil is one of the most hardest hit by the deadly and fast spreading new SARS coronavirus, so it makes sense that they would invest heavily in rolling it back, making sure nothing like this ever happens again.

Brazil’s new Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) open this week to new research projects related to the study of the SARS2 coronavirus. Located in the interior Sao Paulo state city of Campinas, CNPEM is also home to Sirius, the R$1.8-billion particle accelerator, which is Brazil’s biggest and most complex scientific structure to date.

 

By Kenneth Rapoza via Forbes

 

Read full article here

Departure of Minister Marco Antonio Nakata as Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of Brazil in New York

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The Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce announces the departure of Minister Marco Antonio Nakata as Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of Brazil in New York, transferred back to Brazil to resume his activities at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Brasília.

Born in São Paulo, Minister Nakata received a degree in Administration from the University of São Paulo and studied at Rio Branco Institute, the Brazilian diplomatic institute (1994-95).  At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he worked in the Protocol Department and the Press Office of the Minister.  He was posted in London, Tokyo, Moscow, Rome, Bratislava, and New York.

As Deputy Consul General, Minister Nakata was responsible for consular, cultural, educational, press, and administration affairs.  He was always available to assist Brazilians and Americans traveling to Brazil during this trying period and played a fundamental role in facilitating the return of Brazilians during quarantine while helping those in need of urgent consular services.

The Chamber thanks Minister Nakata for his outstanding service and his strong support of the Chamber. We wish him well in his endeavors in Brazil.

Brazil Central Bank Must Adapt Regulation to Big Tech Companies, Director Says

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SAO PAULO — Brazil’s banking regulation must adapt to big technology companies to ensure competition in the financial arena, central bank director Joao Manoel Pinho de Mello said on Monday in a webcast with newspaper Valor Economico.

In June, the central bank issued a rule saying it could require market participants to receive prior approval to operate in payments. Simultaneously, it suspended the newly launched WhatsApp payment service by Facebook Inc in Brazil.

 

Via The New York Times

 

Read full article here

Brazil schedules A-1 energy auction

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July 13 (Renewables Now) – Brazil’s Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) announced on Friday that it plans to hold a new energy auction on December 4, 2020, provided there is demand from domestic power distributors.

Through a decree published in the Official Gazette, the government confirmed that the auction is dubbed as A-1 Existing Energy Auction. It will contract power from all available power plants in the country. The energy will be negotiated in Brazil’s regulated market in the form of volume of electricity.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

Read full article here

ISRO PREPARES TO LAUNCH BRAZIL’S AMAZONIA-1 SATELLITE ABOARD PSLV IN AUGUST THIS YEAR

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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up to lift off Brazil’s Amazonia-1 satellite next month onboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)

As per a report in the Financial Express, Amazonia-1 will be the first satellite for Earth Observation that is designed, assembled and tested in Brazil.

 

Via Tech 2

 

Read full article here

Raising $22.5 million, Liftit looks to expand its logistics services in Brazil, Mexico, Chile and Ecuador

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The Colombian trucking and logistics services startup Liftit has raised $22.5 million in a new round of funding to capitalize on its newfound traction in markets across Latin America as responses to the COVID-19 epidemic bring changes to the industry across the region.

“We’re focusing on the five countries that we’re already in,” says Liftit chief executive Brian York.

 

By Jonathan Shieber via Tech Crunch

 

Read full article here

Cisco Partners With Brazilian Government To Digitize Brazil

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Cisco Systems is a company that’s developed a reputation for having one of the most wide-reaching and successful CSR programs. The networking giant invests heavily in the global communities it operates in, through job creation, skills training, disaster response, non-profit partnerships, and much more. A few years ago I caught wind of another program that, while not officially under the company’s CSR umbrella, is still representative of Cisco’s commitment to leveraging its technology to make a positive difference in the world. That program is Cisco’s Country Digital Acceleration program, or CDA for short, in which Cisco partners with various countries’ leadership, industry and academia in the interest of accelerating their national digitization efforts. I recently wrote in detail about the program here, if you’re interested in more background. That brings us to the recent announcement, made in late May, that Cisco has partnered with the government of Brazil as part of its CDA program. Let’s take a closer look at what we can expect from the partnership.

 

By Patrick Moorhead via Forbes

 

Read full article here

Brazil’s beef exports set to increase, to China

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Exports of fresh and frozen beef from Brazil have been strong in 2020, and are set to stay that way.

The USDA has been expecting production and exports to be higher in 2020. In its April outlook, Brazil’s beef production was forecast to increase by 1.1% to 10.3 million tonnes in 2020. Beef exports were forecast to increase by 8%, to 2.5 million tonnes (cwe), driven by continued demand from China and Hong Kong. Consumption was forecast to fall by 1%, although it may be that this is conservative.

 

By Duncan Wyatt via AHDB

 

Read full article here

Brazil starts producing Swedish Gripen jets

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WASHINGTON — Brazil has officially begun manufacturing fighter jets with the start of production at a new facility that makes sections of the Saab Gripen, Swedish aerospace company Saab announced Tuesday.

Saab Aeronáutica Montagens, a new manufacturing plant located near Sao Paulo, has begun producing Gripen E/F aerostructures, including the tail cone and front fuselage for the single-seat Gripen E version of the jet. It will eventually also make the brakes, rear fuselage, wing box and front fuselage for the two-seater “F” model, Saab stated.

 

By Valerie Insinna via Defense News

 

Read full article here

Brazil’s Oil Giant Has A Creative Solution For Its Gas Flaring Problem

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Brazil’s state-owned oil firm Petrobras aims to make better use of the associated natural gas in its prolific oil-rich pre-salt area by having offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) units to process the gas, whose production has been rising with growing oil output in the area.

Offshore LNG liquefaction could be a solution to the associated gas from oil fields 100 miles off the coast and could reduce flaring, Viviana Coelho, Corporate Emissions and Climate Change Manager at Petrobras, said at a webinar, as carried by Reuters.

 

By Tsvetana Paraskova via Oilprice.com

 

Read full article here

Will Record Low Interest Rates Help Brazil’s Small Businesses?

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Not long ago, I got a call from a New York-based accountant asking if what he was seeing was true: a Brazilian savings account statement showing double-digit monthly returns. “Oh yes,” I told him. It was absolutely normal – and the best deal in town! Just leave your cash parked in a bank and watch it grow.

Fast forward just a couple of years and, well, things have changed. At 2.25%, the basic interest rate has been cut eight times in a row since last year. If you’re an old Brazilian like me, a rate that low sounds like science fiction.

 

By Cecilia Tornaghi via Americas Quarterly

 

Read full article here

“WOMEN IN THE BRAZILIAN AUDIOVISUAL”

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“WOMEN IN THE BRAZILIAN AUDIOVISUAL”

Inffinito Film Festival free online screening series
38 Brazilian premieres and classics at www.inff.online

The Infinito Film Festival’s screening series “Women in the Audiovisual” is ON. It’s a free online event showing 25 features and 13 shorts by renowned Brazilian filmmakers. Among them, Anna Muylaert, Rosane Svartman, Tizuka Yamasaki, Sandra Kogut, Mini Kerti, Sabrina Rosa, Flávia Castro, Christiane Jatahy, Adriana L. Dutra, and Tata Amaral. The films represent the female presence in the audiovisual and provoke reflection on gender equality in the sector. Some movies are must-see classics, and others premiering now at the Inffinito platform’s www.inff.online.

Feature films run at scheduled times, and once it starts, viewers must watch within 4 hours.  The shorts are available for viewing any time until the end of the exhibition on July 31.

 

—– 🎬 —–

The renowned Brazilian Film Festival is confirmed, with the 24th edition in Miami and 14th edition in New York taking place in September and October 2020.

This year Inffinito adopted a new name and format for the Brazilian Film Festival. We are now the “Inffinito Film Festival” (INFF).

INFF will continue our 24-year tradition bringing the most recent Brazilian productions to Miami and New York with outdoor programming on Sept 12 and 19 in Miami and on Oct 17 and 18 in NYC.

For the Festival online version, INFF will present feature films and shorts in competition, festival winners retrospective, debates, and lectures about the audiovisual market at the Inffinito’s new platform inff.online and Lives at social media – from September 13 to October 16.

Brazil central bank chief sees start of ‘V-shaped’ recovery, limited room for rate cuts

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s economy looks to have begun a “V”-shaped recovery from the worst of the COVID-19 crisis, central bank president Roberto Campos Neto said on Thursday, citing the latest energy, traffic and tax collection data as well as double-digit credit growth.

Speaking in a live online event hosted by newspaper Correio Braziliense and Itau bank, however, Campos Neto also cautioned that economic rebounds in other countries that have started in similar fashion have recently shown signs of fading.

 

By Marcela Ayres and Jamie McGeever via Reuters

 

Read full article here

Cargill mapping project in Brazil meant to help control deforestation

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Cargill Inc. last week announced it has mapped out its entire supply chain for soybeans in Brazil, where the destruction of forest to make land to grow the crop has produced an environmental conflict with global attention.

With the maps, executives at the Minnetonka-based agribusiness giant say they are learning more about where, and by whom, forest land is being converted. “The objective is to transform our supply chain, or the farming sector, to be deforestation- or conversion-free,” said John Hartmann, Cargill’s top executive for sustainability in supply chain.

 

By Evan Ramstad via Star Tribune

 

Read full article here

Brazil Eases WhatsApp Ban — But It’s Still Suspended

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The payments feature of the popular messaging platform WhatsApp remains suspended in Brazil, despite local regulators easing restrictions placed on its owner, Facebook.

On June 24, Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense, known locally by its Portuguese acronym ‘CADE’ suspended an agreement between Facebook and Brazilian payment firm Cielo to process payments for WhatsApp.

 

By Samuel Haig via Cointelegraph

 

Read full article here

Brazil to test Sinovac’s potential vaccine against COVID-19 in six states

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – A potential coronavirus vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac will be tested in Brazil by 12 research centers in six Brazilian states, the governor of Sao Paulo state, Joao Doria, said on Wednesday, adding the trials still need to be approved by local health vigilance agency Anvisa.

The study – first announced on June 11 – is led by Instituto Butantan, a research center funded by the state of Sao Paulo. The agreement with Sinovac includes not only trials but also the transference of technology to produce the coronavirus vaccine locally.

 

By Eduardo Simões via Reuters

 

Read full article here

Brazil’s oil output grows by 7.8 pct in 2019

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RIO DE JANEIRO, June 30 (Xinhua) — Brazil’s oil output grew by 7.8 percent in 2019 compared with the year before, averaging 2.8 million barrels a day, the state-run National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) said Tuesday.

The increase was mainly driven by deep-sea oil drilling in the Atlantic Ocean pre-salt deposits, where Brazil has giant reserves which are just beginning to be exploited.

 

Via Xinhua News

 

Read full article here

With Green Light From Regulators, TransferWise Accelerates In Brazil

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Money transfer unicorn TransferWise is accelerating its business in Brazil after receiving the authorization from the Central Bank to operate a foreign exchange broker. Present in the country since 2016, the fintech had been waiting for the green light from the local regulators for two years.

According to the fintech, which had been operating as a foreign exchange correspondent in partnership with local banks, it has handled over BRL 26 billion in money transfers since it started operating in Brazil.

 

By Angelica Mari via Forbes

 

Read full article here

Nubank growth hits another level as pandemic drives digital in Brazil

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The shift to digital platforms has been a pronounced feature of the global pandemic – with tech stocks hugely outperforming stock market benchmarks throughout the world – but in emerging markets there have been specific drivers turbo-charging this phenomenon.

Digital bank Nubank, founded seven years ago in Brazil with the launch of a no-fee credit card managed by an app, has grown its total client base to more than 25 million. The bank launched its digital current account in 2017, which now has more than 20 million account holders.

By Rob Dwyer via Euromoney

 

Read full article here

BRAZIL DATA: Ethanol output surges to record high in May

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Rio de Janeiro — Brazilian ethanol production hit the highest level ever recorded in May amid expectations for a record sugarcane harvest and biodiesel output rebounded from coronavirus-related lows, according to data released June 29 by the National Petroleum Agency, or ANP.

Sugar mills produced 8.46 billion liters of ethanol in May, more than double the 4.05 billion liters produced in May 2019, the ANP said. That was the highest output recorded by the ANP since its inception in 2000. May’s ethanol production also more than doubled the 3.87 billion liters produced in April, the ANP data showed. The jump was driven by the accelerating sugarcane crush, which got off to a bit of a late start because of poor weather and social-distancing measures implemented in mid-March.

 

By Jeff Fick via S&P Global Platts

 

Read full article here

Brazil industrial confidence posts record rise in June

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BRASILIA, June 29 (Reuters) – Brazilian industrial confidence rebounded sharply in June, the biggest ever rise, on growing hopes for recovery in the second half of the year, but still consistent with levels associated with severe recession, a survey showed on Monday.

The Fundacao Getulio Vargas’s national industrial confidence index jumped to 77.6 in June from 61.4 in May, with the rise of 16.2 representing the largest month-on-month increase since the series began in 2009.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Nasdaq

 

Read full article here

Brazil signs agreement to purchase millions of AstrZeneca Oxford University vaccine to fight Covid-19

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Brazil announced over the weekend that it had signed a US$ 127 million agreement to start producing locally an experimental vaccine developed by AstraZeneca that has shown promise to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The AstraZeneca vaccine is considered the world’s leading candidate and most advanced in terms of development to obtain licensure and become an official vaccine against the disease, according to the World Health Organization.

 

Via Merco Press

 

Read full article here

CHINA’S MAY SOY IMPORTS FROM BRAZIL HIT HIGHEST MONTHLY TOTAL IN 2 YEARS

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BEIJING/SINGAPORE, June 26 (Reuters) – China’s soybean imports from top supplier Brazil soared in May to their highest in two years, according to customs data released late on Thursday, as backed-up cargoes that were delayed by bad weather in Brazil cleared customs.

China, the world’s top soybean importer, brought in 8.86 tonnes of Brazilian soybeans in May, the highest since May 2018 and up 41% from last year’s 6.3 million tonnes, data from the General Administration of Customs showed.

 

Via Successful Farming

 

Read full article here

Brazil Opens Drive-in to Help People Cope With COVID-19

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Brazil has converted a football (soccer) stadium into a drive-in movie theater, its latest effort to lift national morale as the country struggles with the coronavirus pandemic.

The Palmeiras football club’s converted stadium in Sao Paulo accommodates up to 300 cars.

Alessandro Tessari, a fan of the football team said, he could never imagine he would be watching a movie in the stadium.

 

Via VOA News

 

Read full article here

Brazil tops demand for free access to essential online services during pandemic

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Mobile operators in emerging markets such as Brazil and South Africa are experiencing increased traffic and demand for free data as the coronavirus pandemic drives users online. That’s according to recent online search data from Upstream’s Zero-D, an ad-funded free mobile internet platform designed to keep users connected to the digital world even when they have run out of data.

Demand for free access to essential online services is highest in Brazil, with searches for “internet gratis” (free internet) surpassed only by searches for “Facebook” in the data from March 2020 to May 2020. In addition, Free Fire, a free online video game which took Brazil by storm in 2019, continues to dominate the entertainment category. Searches for “Free Fire” surpassed “Netflix” by more than 664 percent in Brazil, presenting mobile operators in the region with a unique challenge.

 

Via Total Telecom

 

Read full article here

Brazil passes bill easing privatization of water utilities

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Brazil’s Senate passed a bill Wednesday paving the way to privatize state-owned water and sanitation companies and attract more private investment to the badly languishing sector.

The bill, which President Jair Bolsonaro plans to sign, aims to bring better service to the 35 million Brazilians who lack clean drinking water and 100 million whose sewage gets dumped raw, without ever being treated, its sponsors said.

 

Via Macau Business.com

 

Read full article here

Brazil ecommerce jumps 57% in first five months of 2020 fueled by COVID-19

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SAO PAULO, June 23 (Reuters) – Brazilian e-commerce has risen by 56.8% in the first five months of 2020 from a year earlier, reaching 105.6 billion reais ($20.50 billion) in sales revenue, a survey showed on Tuesday, as more consumers have shifted to online shopping during the coronavirus pandemic.

The number of online orders grew by 65,7% in the same comparison, mostly driven by three categories: cosmetics and perfumes, furniture and eletronics, according to data compiled by Brazilian ecommerce consultancy Compre&Confie and industry body ABComm.

By Gabriela Mello via Yahoo Finance

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UPDATE 1-Brazil’s central bank unveils wide range of credit-boosting measures

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BRASILIA, June 23 (Reuters) – Brazil’s central bank on Tuesday announced a series of measures to potentially pump hundreds of billions of reais into the economy, boosting credit in particular to micro, small and medium-sized companies struggling in the coronavirus crisis.

The measures include allowing banks already extending loans to small and medium-sized enterprises, known as SMEs, to reduce reserve requirements, lowering banks’ requirements for contingent liabilities provisions, and possibly allowing firms to use real estate as collateral for new loans.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Reuters

 

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UPDATE 1-Brazil central bank sees rates ‘close’ to lower limit, stresses inflation goal commitment

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BRASILIA, June 23 (Reuters) – Brazil’s central bank sees little scope to reduce interest rates much further, with the current record low of 2.25% considered “close” to the level from which additional cuts could fuel financial market instability, according to meeting minutes released on Tuesday.

The minutes of the June 16-17 meeting of the rate-setting committee, known as Copom, showed that while the economic shock from the COVID-19 pandemic is disinflationary and inflation expectations continue to fall, policymakers urged caution in easing much further.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Reuters

 

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New Proclamation Formalizes Temporary Ban on Entry for Nonimmigrants Seeking to Enter on H-1B, H-2B, L-1, and J-1 Visas

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On June 22, 2020, and citing economic recovery needs and unemployment due to the pandemic, President Trump issued “Proclamation Suspending Entry of Aliens Who Present a Risk to the U.S. Labor Market Following the Coronavirus Outbreak,” outlining expected new temporary restrictions on H-1B, H-2B, J-1, and L-1 nonimmigrant worker visas, which are among the most popular temporary U.S. worker visas. Section 1 of the proclamation takes effect immediately (continuation of bar on certain immigrant visa entry) and the remainder (containing new restrictions on nonimmigrant workers), takes effect on June 24, 2020 (12:01 a.m.). The new proclamation will expire on December 31, 2020, and may be continued as necessary.

The proclamation comes on the heels of Proclamation 10014 of April 22, 2020 (“Suspension of Entry of Immigrants Who Present a Risk to the United States Labor Market During the Economic Recovery Following the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak”), which suspended the entry of aliens on immigrant visas, subject to certain exceptions, for a period of sixty (60) days. The June 22, 2020 proclamation continues and amends Proclamation 10014 to incorporate new restrictions on the entry of nonimmigrant temporary visa holders, including those with H-1B, H-2B, J-1, and L-1 visas, subject to certain exemptions.

 

By Jorge Lopez and Elizabeth Whiting via Littler

 

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Brazil’s Northeast surpasses 10 GW of peak wind on June 21

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June 23 (Renewables Now) – Wind farms in Brazil’s Northeast have generated 10,121 MW at 1021 local time on June 21, thereby breaking the Northeast’s record for wind generation, the National Electric System Operator (ONS) announced.

The volume produced by wind farms during that day was enough to meet 100% of the Northeast region needs, currently at 8,500 MW, and generate an 18% surplus. The previous record was of 9,755 MW, registered seven months earlier on November 12, 2019.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Startups Focused On Human Resources Take Off In Brazil

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A new report on HRtechs, technology companies focused on Human Resources (HR), has revealed the segment is the third most active in Brazil, after fintechs and mobility, as well as the main companies in activity as well as startups to watch.

According to the study produced by innovation center network Distrito, there are 373 startups active in the HR space, which concentrated 11.6% of the capital invested in startups in 2019 – fintechs claimed 35.6% of the total investment last year, while mobility startups attracted 14.4%.

 

By Angelica Mari via Forbes

 

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Brazil recreates Ministry of Communications

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Brazil’s Ministry of Communications has been recreated and a new minister has taken over to lead agendas such as the country’s upcoming 5G auction.

The son-in-law of a well-known Brazilian TV presenter, Fábio Faria was named the new communications minister yesterday (17). Faria will be accountable for the national telecommunications policy, as well as the national broadcasting policy and the communications activity relating to the federal government, which relies heavily on channels such as social media.

 

By Angelica Maria via ZD Net

 

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Nebraska/Brazil partnership eyes expansion of preschool science instruction

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Lincoln, Neb. —Tucked away from the busy city streets of São Paulo, Brazil, young learners are exploring a colorful garden with spades, magnifying glasses and other tools. They gather around their preschool teacher who is holding a freshly dug worm in her hands. They observe the wriggling creature together. After the excited shrieks subside, the teacher begins to ask them questions.

Their curiosity leads to a conversation — an opportunity to learn about science.

 

By Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln

 

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AZUL, LATAM BRAZIL ANNOUNCE CODESHARE, FLYER PROGRAM

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MIAMI- Azul Brazilian Airlines (AD) and LATAM Airlines Brazil (LA) have announced a codeshare partnership with a shared frequent flyer program to increase their presence in Brazil’s domestic market.

Both carriers were competitors in the region alongside GOL (G3), but the latest agreement consolidates various recent individual moves from each to now strengthen their presence and network offer.

 

By Sofia Marrero via Airways Mag

 

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Brazil’s BizCapital raises $12 million for its online lending service

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BizCapital, an online lender based in Brazil, has raised $12 million from a clutch of investors including the German development finance institution, the corporate venture capital fund of MercadoLibre and existing investors Quona Capital, Monashees, Chromo INvest and 42K Investments.

“This latest round reinforces investors’ confidence in BizCapital’s ability to innovate in the Latin American credit market amid challenging circumstances caused by Covid-19,” said Francisco Ferreira, the company’s chief executive, in a statement. “We have seen four times as many business credit inquiries on our site year over year, and we are ready to serve them.”

 

By Jonathan Shieber via Tech Crunch

 

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Brazil hits 16 GW of installed wind capacity

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June 17 (Renewables Now) – Brazil’s installed wind power capacity has reached 16 GW, reaffirming its position as the second largest source of electrical generation in the country, the National Wind Energy Association (Abeeolica) announced earlier this week.

Brazil now has 637 operational wind parks, according to the association. It says the country will have at least 24 GW of installed wind power capacity by 2024, taking into account only contracts already in place through auctions and the free market. “With new auctions, this number will be higher,” Abeeolica’s CEO, Elbia Gannoum, said.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Brazil joins China in quest for vaccine

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Brazil and other countries including Malaysia, Canada and the UK will join China’s efforts to strengthen global cooperation in COVID-19 vaccine trials, as the Institute Butantan in Brazil plans to cooperate in Phase III clinical trials for an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by a Chinese company.

Beijing-based Sinovac Biotech and Instituto Butantan, a leading Brazilian producer of immunobiologic products, have agreed to collaborate in Phase III clinical trials of CoronaVac, Sinovac’s inactivated vaccine candidate against COVID-19.

 

By Hu Yuwei and Leng Shumei via Global Times

 

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Syngenta to roll out new digital ag tools in Brazil

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SAO PAULO, June 16 (Reuters) – Switzerland-based seed and crop protection company Syngenta has chosen Brazil as the initial market for a new digital agriculture services platform intended to make local grain growers more competitive, a Syngenta executive told Reuters.

Because of lockdowns and social distancing, crop consultants including seed advisers and agrochemical distributors have been unable to visit farms, making technology more important to assess field conditions, said Greg Meyers, the company’s chief information and digital officer.

 

By Ana Mano and Roberto Samora via Reuters

 

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WhatsApp finally launches payments, starting in Brazil

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After months of talks and trials, WhatsApp has finally pulled the trigger on payments in its app. Today the Facebook-owned messaging service announced that users in Brazil would be the first to be able to send and receive money by way of its messaging app, using Facebook Pay, the payments service WhatsApp owner Facebook launched last year.

WhatsApp says in its blog post that the payments service — which currently is free for consumers to use (that is, no commission fee taken) but businesses pay a 3.99% processing fee to receive payments — will work by way of a six-digit PIN or fingerprint to complete transactions.

 

By Manish Singh and Indrid Lunden via Tech Crunch

 

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Brazil adopts real-time analytics to present Covid-19 data

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The Brazilian government has launched a new portal powered by real-time data analytics to report the evolving picture on the Covid-19 outbreak, following controversy over moves to suppress the release of such information in what is the current global epicenter of the pandemic.

Earlier this week, data relating to the pandemic had, without warning, been removed from the health ministry website and the government announced it would stop releasing historical numbers on cumulative deaths and the number of infections. The decision sparked outrage as it was seen as an attempt to cover up the worsening health crisis in the country.

 

By Angelica Maria via ZD Net

 

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Ecommerce company sells products from Brazil to Arabs

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São Paulo – A company called Metro Brazil sells Brazilian products to Arab consumers online. Owned by Syrian entrepreneur Alaa Kara Ali (pictured above), the business was started in 2017, two years after he had relocated to Brazil. Ali lives in São Paulo and has two Brazilian children. “I wanted to make a bridge between Brazil and the Middle East,” he told ANBA in interview by email.

Ali, who is also the company’s CEO, wanted to resell Brazilian products such as garments, underwear and accessories. He started on his own and now has a staff of 32 employees and exports to other regions beyond the Middle East. The company used to sell just to Arab countries but saw a demand from other regions, then started delivering orders all over the world. “Now we have clients on Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia and others,” he said.

 

By Bruna Garcia Fonseca via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Brazil prepares to resume Angra 3 project

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First concrete was poured for Angra 3 – a 1405 MWe (gross) pressurised water reactor – in 2010, resuming a project that had first begun in the 1980s before a lengthy suspension. The project was again suspended in mid-2015. Two nuclear power units – Angra 1 and 2 – supply about 3% of Brazil’s electricity. The units are operated by Eletrobras subsidiary Eletronuclear.

Following a meeting of the PPI council yesterday, PPI Special Secretary Martha Seillier told reporters in Brasillia that the private partner in Angra 3 must be a minority stakeholder. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro had also attended the PPI meeting, she said.

 

Via World Nuclear News

 

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Chinese vaccine maker inks deal in Brazil for final testing

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China’s leading coronavirus vaccine developer signed an agreement with a drugmaker in Brazil to conduct further testing of its shot’s efficacy, as the global race intensifies to come up with the first viable candidate to prevent Covid-19.Beijing-based Sinovac Biotech Ltd. is teaming up with Instituto Butantan to conduct the final phase of a three-part human testing of a vaccine it developed against the novel coronavirus, the company said in a statement. A Sinovac spokesman said it will need to obtain regulatory approval in Brazil before conducting the trial.

Once approved, Sinovac and Instituto Butantan will kick off the trial involving 9,000 people in July. The Brazilian drugmaker will get to license the Chinese vaccine and make it available in the South American country, Sinovac said.

 

Via Hindustan Times

 

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Totvs and SAP lead enterprise software market in Brazil

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The enterprise software market in Brazil is led by local firm Totvs and SAP, according to new research by Brazilian business school Fundação Getúlio Vargas about the local information technology market.

The report, which polled more than 2,600 businesses nationwide, shows Totvs as the leader with 33% of the overall ERP market. The Brazilian company is closely followed by SAP: the German software giant has a 32% slice of the market, according to the FGV study, now in its 31st edition. Oracle ranks third, with a market share of 12%.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Brazil forecasted to harvest 245,9 million tons of cereals and oil seeds

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According to the Systematic Survey of Agricultural Production (LSPA), released on Tuesday, June 9th, by the IBGE, the country will harvest 245.9 million tons of cereals, legumes and oilseeds by the end of the year, up 1.8% (4.4 million tons more) compared to 2019.

Rice, corn, and soy account for 92.2% of this amount. But the high dollar encourages other crops, such as wheat. The May estimate for the 2020 agricultural crop suffered a reduction of 0.5% compared to the previous month, influenced by the drought in the south of the country, but remains at a record level.

 

Via Merco Press

 

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Architecture in the Periphery: Teaching Women to Build Houses in Brazil

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The spirit of the women who participate in the movements fighting for housing in Brazil is as hard as lime and wood. As a majority in land occupations, they vigorously coordinate organizational and political practices of settlement and popular housing construction. It is no wonder that many of the occupations of the MST (Landless Rural Workers’ Movement) or the MTST (Homeless Workers’ Movement) carry the names of women such as Dandara, a quilombo leader from the colonial period.

 

By Cecília Garcia via Arch Daily

 

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Shell looks to Brazil solar power sales from farms that are due online in 2023

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell PLC <RDSa.L> is ready to start negotiating with potential clients the sale of future solar power on Brazil’s free energy market from its first farms due to start operating in 2023, Shell’s solar business development manager for Latin America said.

In a telephone interview on Monday, Maria Gabriela da Rocha said the startup date would depend on the negotiations and was part of Shell’s strategy to move into renewable energy, betting on industries’ increasingly wanting to sign long-term clean energy contracts.

By Luciano Costa via Yahoo Finance

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New debentures decree in Brazil to help add 36 GW of renewables by 2030

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June 9 (Renewables Now) – Brazil’s Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) expects that in the next 10 years, roughly 36,000 MW of renewable energy capacity will be implemented thanks to a new protocol for the issuance of green debentures.

The 10,387 decree, published last week, creates new mechanisms for the issuance of debentures in order to finance infrastructure projects that provide relevant environmental or social benefits for the country, the ministry stated.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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Most Brazil Projects Progress Despite the Pandemic

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With nearly 700,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, Brazil trails only the U.S. as the most-impacted country, but in pushing to maintain economic activity, leaders have allowed construction to continue.

Projects have not shut down in most of Brazil’s 27 states, including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Minas Gerais—its three largest economies.

 

By Augusto Diniz via Engineering News-Record

 

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Return to Work Protocols for São Paulo, Brazil

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On May 27, 2020, the Governor of the State of São Paulo, Brazil unveiled the details for reopening the state. The plan, called Conscious Restart, divides the state into 17 areas. Each area can enter into a new reopening phase every 15 days, depending on the number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, and the area’s hospital/ICU capacity. Each phase allows certain industries or sectors to restart operations with restrictions, which will be relaxed at each phase. The phases are marked in colors, from red (most restricted) to blue (“controlled normal”).

Starting June 1, 2020, several areas will enter Phase 2 (orange), including the City of São Paulo (but not the adjacent municipalities), as per the chart below:

 

By Renata Neeser Via Littler

 

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Brazil avoids 515m tonnes of CO2 emissions with ethanol

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June 8 (Renewables Now) – Brazil has avoided more than 515 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent emissions between March 2003 and May 2020 thanks to the use of ethanol, local sugarcane industry association Unica announced on Friday, analysing statistics by the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels.

 

By Lucas Morais via Renewables Now

 

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E-commerce gains one virtual store per minute in Brazil

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Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Brazil has been opening more than one virtual store per minute. In just over two months, 107,000 new establishments were created on e-commerce for different products, such as food, beverages, clothes, shoes and cleaning products, according to a survey carried out by the Brazilian Association of Electronic Commerce (Abcomm), reported by O Estado de S. Paulo.

 

Via LABS

 

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Brazil retailer Centauro raises $176 million in follow-on offering: sources

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazilian sporting goods retailer Centauro priced its shares at 30 reais each in a follow-on offering aimed at raising 900 million reais ($175.84 million) to finance acquisitions, two sources with knowledge of the matter said.

Shares in Grupo SBF SA (CNTO3.SA), as Centauro is formally known, closed the trading day on Thursday trading at 31.50 reais, which implies investors in the share offering had a roughly 5% discount.

 

By Carolina Mandl via Reuters

 

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Foreign investment returns to Brazil in May, first since July 2019

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Brazil posted a net foreign exchange inflow of US$ 3.1 billion in May, central bank figures showed on Wednesday, its first net inflow since July last year.

The figures showed a surplus of almost US$ 4 billion from trade-related FX contracts and an outflow of US$ 882 million from financial FX contracts, resulting in the biggest monthly inflow since February last year.

 

Via Merco Press

 

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Brazil To Be First To Test Oxford’s Covid-19 Vaccine

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Hard hit Brazil will be the first nation to test the Oxford University vaccine for the new SARS. Two-thousand volunteers working on the front lines against the virus will be chosen for the trial, which will begin in Sāo Paulo this month.

Denis Mizne, executive director of the Lemann Foundation, the group that is financing the São Paulo trials, called it “an important milestone” for Brazil. The Foundation was funded and created by Jorge Paulo Lemann and his family. Lemann became a billionaire thanks to investments in Brazilian beer giant AmBev and Heinz through his private equity firm 3G Capital.

 

By Kenneth Rapoza via Forbes

 

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Nordex Group posts Brazil wind power order for 90 MW

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Nordex has received an order from its new customer, COPEL – Companhia Paranaense de Energia, for the supply and construction of 26 AW132/3465 wind turbines in Brazil. The order also includes the Servicing of the machines, with a contract term of 20 years.

The 90 MW wind farm “Jandaíra Copel” will be built in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, near the city of Jandaíra in eastern Brazil. The Nordex Group will manufacture the 26 turbines at its production facility in Simões Filho. The turbines will be built on 120 metre concrete towers, which the Group will manufacture at its local plant in Areia Branca, not far from the site. The company will also source the rotor blades locally. Completion of the wind farm is planned for 2022.

 

Via Reve

 

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LATAM Cargo delivers 50 tonnes of essential hospital goods to Brazil

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LATAM Cargo in partnership with VTC LOG transported 50 tonnes of essential hospital goods to combat Covid-19 in Roraima, Brazil, on May 29 and 30. In addition, respirators will also be sent to Rondônia.

The transportation was carried out in three flights using Boeing 767 aircraft (a freighter and a passenger airplane adapted for cargo transportation) and Boeing 777 aircraft (also adapted for cargo). They left São Paulo/Guarulhos airport for Manaus, where the cargo will continue its trip in order to be delivered in both states.

 

Via Stat Times

 

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UN-Habitat data mapping ensures assistance reaches the most vulnerable in Brazil’s slums

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 2020 – Some 2,500 vulnerable and sick older people living in the slums of Brazil’s largest city, received hygiene kits to support them during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Social Territories Programme, implemented by the City of Rio de Janeiro, with the support of UN-Habitat, organized the distribution of the kits in 10 informal settlements known as favelas.

The kits, which include sanitizer, liquid soap, deodorant, shampoo and toothbrushes, donated by UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, were given to older vulnerable people, those who are bedridden and with heart problems in Alemão, Maré, Chapadão, Pedreira ,Vila Kennedy, Lins, Penha, Cidade de Deus, Jacarezinho and Rocinha. The materials were distributed alongside food baskets of staple goods.

 

Via ReliefWeb

 

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GDP OF AGRICULTURE SHOULD REPEAT POSITIVE RESULT ON THE 2ND. QUARTER

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The good performance in the production of soy and rice pulled the 1.9% growth of agriculture in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the same period 2019, according to the Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (CNA).

This result, published on Friday (29) by the IBGE, shows that the sector was the only positive performance in the first three months of this year, unlike the Brazilian economy, which fell 0.3% in the first quarter over the same period 2019, reflecting the coronavirus pandemic impacts.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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E-commerce sales reach all-time high in Brazil

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E-commerce sales in Brazil have achieved an all-time high as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak, according to a new study referring to activity during April 2020.

Sales for the month practically doubled, with an increase of 98.74% in April in relation to the same month in 2019. Additionally, there was an 81.64% revenue boost for companies operating in digital sales that same month, according to an index produced by the Brazilian Chamber of Electronic Commerce (BCEC).

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Pandemic Heroes: Brazil’s Thiago Firmino

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If you go up Santa Marta hill in Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, you get a treat: the most amazing view of the famous statue of Christ and the Sugar Loaf, and you can take a selfie with a statue of Michael Jackson, who filmed parts of his “They Don’t Care About Us” video there. Jackson became possibly the first international superstar to go up the narrow lanes, unpaved passages, and cramped corners of the stacked bare zinc-roof cabins that make up this neighborhood.

Here, like in most favelas in Brazil, public services are all but nonexistent. So when the pandemic hit, a resident decided to act.

 

By Cecilia Tornaghi via Americas Quarterly

 

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Brazil steps up sugar production and exports

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São Paulo – The Brazilian 2020-21 sugarcane crop is just beginning but is promising and can allow Brazil to have a large sugar export supply. According to the “Fortnightly Monitoring of the Center-South Region Crop” through May 16 released by the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA), the sugarcane grinding through mid-May surpassed 103 million tonnes, up 21.67% from a year ago. Out of this, 45.3% of the processed sugarcane was directed to the sugarcane production, up from 32.19% in the 2019-20 crop. These figures refer to Brazil’s Center-South production, which amounts to 59% of the Brazilian total.

The change in the ethanol-sugar production ratio is related to a change in the market demand. According to Grupo Tereos board member and Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP) chairman Jacyr Costa Filho, the Russia-Saudi Arabia oil price war in early March and the COVID-19 pandemic have reduced oil and gas prices, which affected the ethanol competitiveness. The product is used as a fuel in Brazil. Moreover, the demand for fuels in general has dropped.

 

By Marcos Carrieri via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Brazil’s Ag Exports to China are Booming

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The first four months of 2020 were profitable for Brazilian ag exporters. Brazil’s agricultural exports to China were worth $31.4 billion from January through April. MercoPress reports that it marked a 5.9 percent increase year-over-year.

The growth in agricultural exports to China resulted in a more than 11 percent increase in export volume, while the index price actually suffered a drop of 4.7 percent. The Brazilian Department of Trade and International Relations says those sales numbers broke the record for the largest amount ever shipped between January and April.

 

Via Hoosier Ag Today

 

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Government of Brazil signs agreement with Cisco to boost digitization

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The Brazil Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovations and Communications signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Cisco via a virtual event on May 27th—the agreement works to boost digitization and accelerate technology skills development in the country. Hosted over Cisco TV, the event included Brazil’s Executive Secretary Julio Semeghini, Secretary of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Paulo Alvim,  and Secretary of Telecommunications Vitor Menezes Minister Marcos Pontes, Secretary Vitor Menezes, Cisco’s Global Innovation Officer Guy Diedrich, SVP and Brazil Country Sponsor John Kern, Cisco President Latin America & SVP in the Americas Jordi Botifoll , and Brazil Country Manager Laercio Albuquerque.

As a part of this agreement, Cisco announced the launch of “Brasil Digital e Inclusivo”, the company’s Country Digital Acceleration (CDA) program that will spur the creation of initiatives and projects in education, healthcare, agribusiness, public safety, cybersecurity, smart cities, energy and manufacturing. Among the initiatives, the program will support Brazilian public healthcare system with telemedicine and remote patient monitoring digital platform, develop new talents in cybersecurity operations through the Cisco Cyber Education Program, help transform education with innovative smart and connected schools, and build an Industry 4.0 Experience Center to be used on professionals training on industrial networking and cybersecurity technologies for Industry 4.0.

 

By Stephanie Chan via Newsroom.cisco.com

 

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Brazilian ethanol prices recover in May following gasoline price rise

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Santos — Hydrous ethanol price in Center-South Brazil started an upward price trend on May 13, mostly supported by the increases in the gasoline price ex-refinery and since then is moving up on a daily bases.

The Brazilian ethanol market was hit by the so-called perfect market turmoil, of consumption crises triggered by the coronavirus pandemic and the collapse in the international oil prices started on March 8. Both combined facts capped the ethanol price in the weeks prior to the beginning of the new Center-South crop 2020-21, adding a further negative tone for the pricing environment.
By Nicolle Monteiro de Castro via S&P Global Platts

These Girls From Brazil Built A Suicide Prevention App For Gen Z

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A team of Brazilian girls have turned a school project into an mobile app aimed at confronting the world’s second leading cause of death among 15-29 year-olds: suicide.

Generation Z, the generation who began to be born in the mid-nineties, has the highest recorded suicide rate in history, as well as a higher risk for mental illness than the previous generation. Teen girls, in particular, are three times as likely as boys to experience depression.

 

By Andrew Wight via Forbes

 

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History Repeats As Brazil Delivers Another Iron Ore Boom

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Brazil’s worsening Covid-19 crisis is making waves in the commodities world with reduced iron ore shipments from the South American country lifting the price of the steel-making material by 30% to almost $100 a ton.

There could be more to come with some analysts forecasting a return to last year’s peak price of $125/t, an unexpected rise also caused by events in Brazil.

 

By Tim Treadgold via Forbes

 

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HOUSE APPROVES NEW RULES FOR BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION DURING PANDEMIC

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The full House approved late on Thursday (21) a bill that creates transitional rules for companies in bankruptcy and also to try to prevent other companies were experiencing difficulties to reach this point, which prior to bankruptcy, informs the “Agency Brazil.” The bill goes to the Senate. The measures cover situations that have occurred since March 20 this year and some are expected to last until the end of the state of public calamity due to pandemic COVID-19, scheduled to end on December 31, 2020. However, the terms do not apply to contracts and obligations of cooperative actions taken by the cooperatives to their members.

By substitute approved by the deputies, for 30 days from the effective date of the future law, are suspended judicial or extrajudicial executions of guarantees, lawsuits involving arrears after March 20, 2020, the declaration of bankruptcy, the unilateral termination or contract review activities. Also, it is suspended for the period, the penalty fee for late payment provided for in contracts in general and those arising from non-payment of taxes.

 

Via Datagro

 

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CONGRESS AUTHORIZES ADDITIONAL CREDIT OF R $ 343.6 BILLION TO GOVERNMENT SPENDING IN 2020

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With the votes of senators on the afternoon of Thursday (21), Congress completed passage of the bill authorizing the executive branch to open additional credit in the amount of R $ 343.6 billion, inform the agencies’ House and Senate ” .

There were 74 votes in favor and none opposed. Most of this money – R $ 213.7 billion – will be used to pay pensions, pensions and other social security benefits. The PLN 8/2020 now goes to presidential approval. In the morning, the deputies approved this project by 451 votes in favor and 1 opposed.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Brazil’s pork exports increase with 28.4% despite pandemic

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Brazil’s pork exports rose 28.4% in the first 4 months of 2020, despite the Covid-19 pandemic. Between January and April 2020, the sector shipped 280,800 tonnes of pork – compared to 218,700 tonnes in the same period of 2019.

Pork exporters all over Brazil earned around US$ 650.3 million in the 1st 4 months, spread out over all types of products. That number is even 53.5% higher than registered for the same period of 2019, when it was US$ 423.6 million.

 

By Danieal Azevedo via Pig Progress

 

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Brazil ETFs Rally on Central Bank Support, Goldman Sachs’ Bullish Outlook

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Brazil country-specific exchange traded funds surged Thursday after the Central Bank of Brazil stated its intent to increase support of the real currency and Goldman Sachs argued that this emerging market was a prime cheap opportunity.

Among the best performing non-leveraged ETFs of Thursday, the iShares MSCI Brazil ETF (NYSEArca: EWZ), the largest Brazil-related ETF, increased 4.3%.

 

By Max Chen via ETF Trends

 

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At Fiat Chrysler’s Brazil plant, production resumes with safety checks

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BETIM, Brazil (Reuters) – Before going to work these days, employees at the Brazilian unit of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCHA.MI) have to get a health check using a mobile app every morning.

It is one of several measures the automaker has implemented to fight the novel coronavirus in South America’s top auto producing country. Carmakers in Brazil cautiously restarted production this month, concerned not just about the virus spreading, but also about whether there will be any demand for the cars amid the health crisis.

 

By Washington Alves and Marcelo Rochabrun via Reuters

 

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Brasil e Estados Unidos aprofundam Diálogo Comercial

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Videoconferência realizada na quinta-feira passada (14/5) reuniu representantes brasileiros e norte-americanos para a sessão plenária da 18ª edição do Diálogo Comercial Brasil – Estados Unidos. As delegações dos dois países abordaram questões que afetam o comércio de bens e serviços e reafirmaram a importância de remover barreiras não-tarifárias para o crescimento do intercâmbio bilateral.

A delegação brasileira foi chefiada pelo secretário de Comércio Exterior do Ministério da Economia, Lucas Ferraz, que conduziu os trabalhos com o subsecretário de Comércio Internacional do Departamento de Comércio (DoC) dos Estados Unidos, Joseph Semsar. A reunião contou, também, com a participação dos embaixadores do Brasil em Washington, Nestor Forster, e dos Estados Unidos no Brasil, Todd Chapman.

 

Via gov.br

 

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UPDATE 1-BUNGE’S BRAZIL UNIT SIGNS CONTRACT TO ACQUIRE TWO SOY PLANTS FROM IMCOPA

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SAO PAULO, May 20 (Reuters) – Bunge’s Brazil unit has signed a contract to acquire two soy crushing plants from Imcopa, according to a statement sent to Reuters on Wednesday, marking another step to consolidate its position as Brazil’s largest soybean crusher.

Imcopa, which is operating under bankruptcy court protection, confirmed the signing of the contract and said the aim of the sale is to keep the plants running and protect jobs, according to a separate statement.

 

By Ana Mano via Successful Farming

 

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Brazil introduces open banking

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Brazil is the latest country to embrace open banking, rolling out a new regulation enabling licensed institutions to share customer data.

Under the new rules, banks, payment institutions and others licensed by the Banco Central do Brasil, can share – at the customers’ discretion – registration and transactional data from individuals or legal entities.
Via Finextra

Brazil maritime trade surplus widens as ports remain open, farm exports strong: ATP

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazil recorded a $19.7 billion maritime trade surplus in the first four months of the year as imports by value fell as the real currency weakened and exports of agriculture goods remained strong, a port operators group said on Monday.

The surplus is 14.56% wider than in the same period of 2019 despite the crisis caused by the novel coronavirus, which has disrupted transport systems worldwide, said ATP, which represents Brazilian private-sector terminal operators including miner Vale and grain merchant Bunge .

 

By Ana Mano via WHTC

 

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VTEX has top tips on how to reshape e-commerce during Covid-19

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Contxto – Yes, yes, you’ve heard it at least a dozen times already. Coronavirus (Covid-19) is accelerating the uprise of e-commerce. But that’s not all.

Self-isolation means users have grasped the utility of ordering something from the comfort of their couch. In addition, they’ve also sought out more meaningful experiences that give them a sense of connection despite being stuck at home. And because of this, Brazilian VTEX, says there’s no going back for businesses, digital or not.

 

Via Contxto

 

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Data privacy awareness grows in Brazil

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The level of awareness and concerns over data privacy online is growing in Brazil, with more users looking to increase control over how their data is handled, according to new research.

According to a global study on data privacy by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, 74% of Brazilian Internet users polled have reported trying to remove their personal data from websites and social media platforms.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Brazil Makes Inroads Towards Digital ID

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The Brazilian government has launched a new app that unites the social security card and driving license as part of its digital identification and citizen service delivery plan.

The launch follows a move towards making the social security number the main proof of ID for Brazilians: since last year, it is used to access government services. This includes the emergency aid scheme announced in April for financially vulnerable citizens.

 

By Angelica Mari via Forbes

 

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Brazil Rescue Aid for Airlines to Reach $680 Million

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(Bloomberg) — The rescue package to airlines in Brazil will total about 4 billion reais ($680 million), according to people familiar to the matter.

The package, which was presented to airlines on Wednesday, includes credit from development lender BNDES, which will provide 60%, or no more than 2.4 billion reais, the people said, asking not to be named because the discussions are private. Other banks will provide another 10%, or no more than 400 million reais, they said, adding that the companies will have to seek at least the remaining 30%, or 1.2 billion reais, from investment funds via capital markets.

By Cristiane Lucchesi, Felipe Marques and Vinícius Andrade via Yahoo Finance

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Brazil April sugar exports hit 3-year high; line-up more than triples on year: Williams

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Santos — Brazil exported 1.283 million mt of sugar in April, the highest for the month since 2017, as it ramps up sugar production after maximizing ethanol production in the last two seasons (April-March), according to data from shipping agency Williams published Thursday.

The Brazilian sugar line-up as of Wednesday was showing named vessels were expected to export 2.6 million mt up until June 29, more than triple the amount in the same period of both 2019 and 2018, Williams said.

 

By Nicolle Monteiro de Castro via S&P Global Platts

 

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Brazil seeks opportunities in space technology

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The Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) is seeking to evolve its space technology capability and identify new opportunities for new projects that can potentially bring socioeconomic benefits, in areas such as analysis of satellite data.

With a view of identifying opportunities around technology solutions based on space systems and building proximity to the industry to develop projects in the field, the AEB, an autarchy linked to the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovations and Communications (MCTIC) signed a protocol of intentions with Visiona, , a joint venture between Brazilian aerospace firm Embraer and state-owned telecoms company Telebras.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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China’s record Brazil soyabean imports impede US trade target

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Brazil’s soyabean shipments to China hit a monthly record of more than 9m tonnes in April, casting doubt on whether Beijing can meet the first-year targets of its trade deal with Washington.

Soyabeans are at the heart of US-Chinese agricultural trading, accounting for almost two-thirds of American exports to China in 2017, prior to the trade war. In January’s US-China phase one trade agreement Beijing pledged to buy at least $80bn of US agricultural products over two years, including $36.5bn in 2020 — $12.5bn more than it spent in 2017.

 

By Emiko Terazono and Sun Yu via Financial Times

 

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How Leitíssimo used genetics to build a premium milk brand

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Craig Bell, the co-founder of premium milk company Leitíssimo, likens his product to a time machine. “We have a lot of consumers who told us that ‘this stuff actually tastes nice, this stuff reminds me of my uncle or my granddad or my father’,” he says.

This, he adds, is partly because in a country that has become one of the world’s breadbaskets in recent decades, Brazilians still have a connection to the rural environment.

 

By Andres Schipani via Financial Times

 

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Brazil’s tech moonshots target social problems

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For Marcos Toledo, the notion of a “moonshot” should be interpreted differently in Brazil.

While tech giants and scrappy start-ups in the US and China can afford to reach for the stars with ambitious projects like spaceships and autonomous vehicles, Brazilian groups should focus on helping those closer to home, says the managing partner of Canary, a venture capital group in São Paulo.

 

By Bryan Harris via Financial Times

 

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Poultry exports from Brazil up 5.1%

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São Paulo – Poultry exports from Brazil were up 5.1% year-to-date through April from a year ago, the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA) reported.

This was the increase in terms of shipped volume. Year-to-date through April, Brazil exported 1.36 million tonnes of raw and processed poultry, from 1.29 million a year ago.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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The best lifeboat for concessionaries to be sailing on now

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Our members Lefosse Advogados wrote this very interesting piece on transport infrastructure in times of COVID-19. Please see below:

 

As we all know, transport infrastructure utilities are facing a storm. The drastic drop in demand due to the effects of COVID-19 is causing dramatic unprecedented losses. The future looks bleak while the government’s inertia leaves the concessionaires adrift.

 

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Brazil Expects To Finalize Airline Support Package Next Week

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The Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) and Bradesco (one of Brazil’s largest banks) are putting together a financing package for the country’s airlines. It is expected that a final agreement will be reached by the end of next week with the disbursement expected to take place in the second half of June. With airlines around the world suffering from decreased demand, they are left to explore various options to raise funds and keep operations going.

 

By Chris Loh via Simple Flying

 

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Brazil expects beef exports to set a new record in 2020 in volume and value

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Brazilian beef exports in 2020 will likely set a new record in terms of volume and value despite the novel coronavirus pandemic, Antônio Camardelli, president of beef group Abiec, said on Thursday.

No beef plants in Brazil were paralyzed because of the outbreak of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, he said during a live video session, adding that demand from China remained strong.

 

Via Merco Press

 

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Brazil approves quantitative easing to fight coronavirus woes

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Brazil’s Congress on Thursday ratified a landmark constitutional amendment allowing the central bank to begin what is expected to be the emerging market world’s biggest quantitative easing programme to fight the economic hardships of the coronavirus pandemic.

The country’s central bank has until now been banned by law from engaging in monetary financing — essentially buying bonds at government debt auctions — but was allowed to purchase them on the secondary market to provide money supply. Under the new measures, the central bank has been granted crisis-fighting powers to buy a range of private and public assets, including government and corporate bonds, to ensure liquidity and shore up an economy expected to shrink 5.3 per cent in 2020.

 

By Andres Schipani and Bryan Harris via Financial Times

 

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Brazil expects exports to China to help mitigate the contraction of the country’s economy

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Brazilian Economy Minister Paulo Guedes said that according to initial estimates, the country’s economy would shrink 6% as a result of the recession caused by the new coronavirus pandemic, but now, thanks to the increase in exports to China, expectations are of a retraction of only 4% this year.

“Brazil was going to fall 6%, of which 2% was to be the external shock and 4% due to internal slowing down, although the 2% external shock we anticipate will not be happening”, the minister told a video virtual hearing of the of the Lower House and Senate combined committee that is monitoring and following the COVID-19 situation.

 

Via Merco Press

 

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Brazil’s annual basic interest rate cut to record low

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RIO DE JANEIRO, May 6 (Xinhua) — The Monetary Policy Committee of Brazil’s central bank (Copom) announced Wednesday its decision to cut the annual basic interest rate (Selic) from 3.75 to 3.0 percent, the lowest since the country adopted an inflation-targeting framework in 1999.

This has been the seventh consecutive rate cut by the central bank since July last year. The latest cut was made due to the harsh effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Brazilian economy.

 

Via Xinhua Net

 

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MercadoLibre to invest over $700 million in Brazil as coronavirus boosts e-commerce

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Latin American e-commerce company MercadoLibre is one of the few firms not scaling back spending amid the coronavirus pandemic and plans to move forward with a planned 4 billion reais ($717 million) investment in Brazil this year, an executive told Reuters on Tuesday.

After seeing a sharp drop in demand in the second half of March, the Argentina-based company reported strong sales in April with an increasing number of consumers shopping online while social distancing measures were in place.

 

By Aluisio Alves via WKZO

 

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How One of Brazil’s Largest Favelas Confronts Coronavirus

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The onset of the coronavirus pandemic in Brazil’s favelas, shantytowns that sprawl around the country’s largest cities, has left the 11.4 million Brazilians living in these densely-populated neighborhoods in a particularly vulnerable position.

In addition to their usual problems — violent shootouts, open sewage, military-style police operations against drug traffickers — they now struggle to embrace social distancing guidelines while living side-by-side in haphazard constructions and crowded homes.

 

By Shannon Sims via Bloomberg

 

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BRAZIL SOYBEAN EXPORTS HIT RECORD IN APRIL

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SAO PAULO, May 4 (Reuters) – Brazilian soybean exports in April reached 16.3 million tonnes, an all-time record for a single month and an increase from 9.4 million tonnes in same month last year, according to average daily export data released on Monday by the government.

The previous record was 12.35 million tonnes, set in May 2018. Brazil, the world’s largest exporter of soybeans, had shipped 11.64 million tonnes of soybeans in March, according to government data, as local farmers finish collecting another bumper crop.

 

By Roberto Samora via Successful Farming

 

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Egypt now allowed to ship citrus to Brazil

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São Paulo – Brazil opened up its market to citrus fruit from Egypt. The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply published on April 27 a ruling on the matter in the Federal Gazette. This was the only step pending in the process, as reported by ANBA in early April. As a result, as of this Monday (4) authorization is in place for the shipping of citrus from Egypt to Brazil, in line with requirements agreed upon by Egyptian authorities and Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture (click here for the ruling in Brazilian Portuguese).

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Coronavirus crisis fuels Brazil e-commerce shift as malls suffer

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazil’s battered retailers are starting to reopen after weeks of coronavirus lockdown but may exit the crisis transformed, with the e-commerce sector strengthened and brick-and-mortar chains facing an uphill path to normality.

That is potential good news for major local online retailers B2W Companhia Digital SA, Magazine Luiza SA and Via Varejo SA, despite increasing competition from international players Mercado Libre and Amazon.com in Latin America’s largest market.

By Gabriela Mello via Yahoo Finance

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U.S. government announces US $950,000 in assistance to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in Brazil

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Brasilia, May 1, 2020:   The United States is providing US $950,000 (approximately R$ 5.21 million) in new economic support funds to incentivize private sector investments in mitigating non-health COVID-19 impacts on rural and vulnerable urban populations in Brazil with a focus on the Amazon region. This assistance builds upon past U.S. investment in Brazil, which totals more than US $617 million over the past 20 years, including nearly US $103 million for health. These funds will be programmed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), working through its private sector and civil society partners and in coordination with the Brazilian government.

 

Via U.S. Embassies and Consulates in Brazil

 

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Enterprises in Brazil Embrace the Salesforce Cloud Model

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SÃO PAULO, Brazil, April 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Businesses in Brazil are increasingly turning to Salesforce products to save money while they look for service providers to help consolidate their disparate installations, according to a new report published today by Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm.

The 2020 ISG Provider Lens™ Salesforce Ecosystem Report for Brazil finds enterprises in Brazil increasingly interested in cloud-based solutions from Salesforce, with the country becoming a fast-growing market for Salesforce products, especially among mid-market customers who are increasingly investing in cloud applications.

Via Yahoo Finance

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Brazil’s musicians offer ‘little seed of happiness’ via shutdown sessions

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The Brazilian guitarist Cainã Cavalcante was gearing up for tours of Cuba, Colombia and the United States when coronavirus struck.

Now, like thousands of musicians in the land of samba and bossa nova, he is in lockdown – trapped at home with six instruments, an empty gig schedule and a burning desire to resist the global health crisis with his strings.

 

By Tom Phillips via The Guardian

 

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EMBRAPA LAUNCHES WORK ON AGRICULTURAL DYNAMICS IN THE CERRADO

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The week full 47 years, Embrapa launches the first volume of “agricultural dynamics in the cerrado: analysis and projections”. Involved 29 authors from different institutions. The analyzes have considered the period of the past four decades to projections for the next 20 years.

The research that led to the work was coordinated by Embrapa, in collaboration with the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) and the Institute of Applied Economic Research (IPEA), entitled Agricultural Dynamics in the Cerrado. The result is a retrospect of the region, analysis of challenges and opportunities that can base the decision public and private decision, thus favoring sustainable agricultural development.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Meat giants from Brazil are ready to cover American shortfalls

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Brazil’s JBS, the world’s biggest meat company, has a message for U.S. carnivores: We’ve got you covered.

Amid a rash of slaughterhouse shutdowns in the U.S. related to the coronavirus pandemic, the chief financial officer of JBS said his company can scale up exports from Australia and has idle capacity in Brazil for beef shipments to the U.S.

By Fabiana Batista and Tatiana Freitas via San Antonio Express News

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IRS Issues New Guidance Addressing COVID- 19 Travel Disruptions and the Impact on U.S. Tax Residency

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Lisa Goldman, CPA, TEP, M.Tax | Rebeccah Fontaine, J.D., LL.M of Berdon LLP Beth Tractenberg, J.D. | Zvi Hahn, J.D., LL.M, LL.B. | George McCormick, J.D., LL.M. of Steptoe & Johnson LLP

In our recent advisory—COVID-19 and the Unintended Resident; the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly— we alerted non-U.S. citizens unable to leave the United States due to COVID-19 travel disruptions of the potential tax implications of their unintended stay in the country. The IRS apparently heard the call and recently issued Revenue Procedure 2020-20 that provides guidance and relief for foreign individuals and corporations as it pertains to U.S. tax residency.

 

Read the full document here

Brazil’s ANP issues new end-of-life rules for oil, gas fields

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Brazil’s National Petroleum Agency, or ANP, issued Monday new rules and procedures for deactivating mature oil and natural gas fields that should result in about $5 billion in investments over the next five years as Latin America’s biggest producer shutters legacy assets amid the dramatic economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The measures represent “a benchmark for the industry, with the modernization and simplification of procedures will create new business opportunities and more investment in the country,” the ANP said in a statement.
By Jeff Fick via S&P Global Platts

GOVERNMENT PUBLISHES MORE STANDARDS TO FACILITATE ACCESS TO CREDIT DURING THE PANDEMIC

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The Federal Government issued another set of rules to facilitate access to credit and minimize the economic effects of the pandemic COVID-19, informs the “Agency Senate.”

MP

According to the Provisional Measure 958/2020 published in the Official Gazette (DOU) on Monday (27), it was determined that until September 30, 2020, public banks are not required to fulfill certain obligations in time to renew and new loans. Before the MP, for example, without proof that the person voted in the last election, it was paid their fine or that if properly justified, the voter could not borrow to financial institutions. Now, such a requirement is temporarily suspended.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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BNDES APPROVES R $ 1.1 BILLION FOR COMPANIES AFFECTED BY PANDEMIC

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The release of working capital facilities to companies affected by coronavirus pandemic totaled R $ 1.1 billion, today reported on Thursday (23) the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), informs the “Agency Brazil” . The amount is equivalent to 22% of R credit line of $ 5 billion announced last month to help micro, small and medium enterprises.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Brazil steps up imports amid the pandemic

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São Paulo – Amid the crisis wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has countries around the world embracing self-isolation among other measures, Brazil stepped up its imports in some sectors this month. Foreign purchases went up for items including sanitary equipment and accessories, livestock, pipes, tubes and hoses, wheat, coal, fertilizers, taps, ethylene polymers and electric generators.

 

Via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Tech driving Brazil solar project efficiency as GCL SI anticipates market rebound

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Module-level technologies are driving strong efficiency readings within Brazil’s portfolio of solar projects, data from the country’s industry regulator is finding.

GCL SI expects the market to rebound from any lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the market boasting a strong pipeline of projects and appetite for solar PV.

 

Via PV Tech

 

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COVID-19 Return to Work Initiative

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Our member Littler Mendelson PC is offering important tips to help employers navigate the Covid 19 pandemic.

As the federal, state, and local governments are starting to unveil their return-to-work plans, employers are anxious to resume operations and get employees back to the workplace. At Littler, we understand that the “next normal” looks different for every organization, each with its own unique workforce, business goals, and concerns. To address these and other issues stemming from the current pandemic, Littler continues to build on its COVID‑19 offerings through comprehensive resources that can help employers start the return-to-work conversation.

 

Access all of the resources here

Brazil Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband 2020: Brazil Gains Further Increases in Bandwidth – ResearchAndMarkets.com

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The “Brazil – Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband – Statistics and Analyses” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

The Brazilian fixed-line market continues to suffer from consumers substituting services for mobile and VoIP solutions, the latter offerings being treated as value-add and thus not being regulated. As a result, VoIP services are offered by many providers.

Via Yahoo Finance

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Interview: Chinese truck maker Foton eyes online sales in Brazil

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SAO PAULO, April 20 (Xinhua) — Chinese truck maker Foton is moving to online sales in Brazil, due to an expected rise in demand for light commercial vehicles driven by the boom in online sales and home delivery services.

“Due to the lockdown, online sales have become more important, and that is a trend that is here to stay,” said Luiz Carlos Mendonca de Barros, president of Foton’s board of directors in Brazil, Latin America’s largest economy, in an interview with Xinhua.

 

Via Xinhua Net

 

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Volkswagen in Brazil to keep factories closed through April

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) said on Monday it will keep its factories in Brazil, South America’s top auto producer, shut through the end of the month, but that a decision has not been made on whether it will reopen them in May or later.

The automaker has just reached a tentative deal with its unions that will keep workers net salaries intact, Volkswagen said. Gross salaries will be reduced but Brazil’s government will help make up the difference with subsidies.

 

By Marcelo Rochabrun via Reuters

 

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Brazil set to start QE cautiously but may need to bring out ‘bazooka’

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil appears set to embark cautiously on unconventional monetary policy using small interventions to tackle dysfunction in bond markets, as it does with foreign exchange, but the severity of the crisis may ultimately force it to emulate the dramatic steps taken in the United States and Europe.

Congress is debating a bill to grant the central bank emergency powers to carry out “quantitative easing” or QE as part of its crisis-fighting arsenal, allowing it to buy public and private financial assets during national emergencies.

By Jamie McGeever via Yahoo Finance

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BRAZILIAN AGRIBUSINESS EXPORTS TO CHINA ARE PRESERVED

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The Brazilian agribusiness exports to China are and [will] be preserved, says the study “Prospects of China’s economic development post-covid-19 and impacts on the Brazilian economy,” prepared by Inovasia Consulting. “We have not detected by China retreat requests to agricultural product orders from Brazil,” says Felipe Zmoginski, survey coordinator.

The survey was conducted between the months of February and March with interviews collected in China and use of data from Tsinghua University and the National Statistics Office of China. According to Zmoginski, the food chain has been little affected in China, with importers seeking to anticipate any supply problem.

 

By DATAGRO

 

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MercadoLibre’s financial arm to extend loans to small businesses in Brazil

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SAO PAULO, April 15 (Reuters) – MercadoLibre’s financial services arm, Mercado Pago, is extending a 600 million-real ($114 million) credit line to help Brazilian medium and small businesses face the sharp drop in economic activity caused by the new coronavirus crisis.

“We aim to help sellers in our platform, mainly small businesses,” said Pedro de Paula, head of Brazil credit at MercadoLibre, an operator of online marketplaces.

 

By Aluisio Alves via Reuters

 

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Provisional measure (MP) adapts labor legislation to meet business demands arising from the Covid-19 pandemic

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Published in an extra edition of the 22nd March 2020, Provisional Measure (MP) No. 927/20 regulates the adjustments in the labor laws announced by the government to minimize the impact of the declared public emergency until December 31, 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The rule establishes that, during this period, the agreement between employer and employee will prevail over any other legal act, provided that the agreement is signed in writing, aimed at maintaining employment and obey the limits provided for in the Federal Constitution.

 

Read the full document here

Brazil government, banks in talks about bailing out companies

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BRASILIA/SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazil’s Economy Ministry is talking with banks about providing bailouts to sectors such as airlines, automakers, power companies and large retailers to help them survive the coronavirus crisis, bank executives confirmed on Wednesday in live presentations.

Reuters reported earlier on Wednesday that Brazil’s biggest lenders – such as Banco Bradesco, Itau Unibanco Holding SA (ITUB4.SA), Banco Santander Brasil and Banco do Brasil SA (BBAS3.SA) – have discussed with the country’s central bank and development bank BNDES how and which financial instruments could be used to rescue embattled companies.

 

By Marcela Ayres and Carolina Mandl via Reuters

 

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Central Bank of Brazil tests settlement infrastructure for instant payments

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The Central Bank of Brazil has kicked off a new phase in the testing process for Pix, the upcoming national instant payments platform, with the simulation of transfers.

The tests of the technology underpinning the settlement infrastructure will see participating institutions testing their settlement flows, so the process where resources are transferred from the payer to the recipient, with fictitious data.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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China conducts fair online to boost cooperation with Latin America

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China launched an online fair for 15 days on Tuesday (14) to promote cooperation between Chinese and Latin American companies, reports “Xinhua” agency. The digital display of international trade China-Latin America (Mexico), sponsored by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPCI), attracted around 2000 domestic companies and about 5000 foreign buyers.

The exhibition is closely monitoring the market demand in Latin America and offers the online trading opportunities companies and precise partnership services through big data, said Gao Yan, head of CCPCI.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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In Brazil, a great-grandmother, 97, becomes the oldest coronavirus survivor

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RIO DE JANEIRO — When 97-year-old Brazilian Gina Dal Colleto was hospitalized on April 1 with coronavirus symptoms, few could have thought she would survive the deadly virus.

On Sunday, however, Dal Colleto was pushed in a wheelchair out of Sao Paulo’s Vila Nova Star hospital to applause from doctors and nurses, becoming the oldest known survivor of COVID-19 in Brazil, the Latin American country worst-hit by the outbreak.

 

Via NBC News

 

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Robô pode ajudar profissionais da Saúde a reduzir exposição ao coronavírus

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A pandemia causada pelo coronavírus está acelerando alguns projetos que já tinham sido iniciados recentemente. Como o Delivery Robô, do Grupo de Mobilidade Inteligente da Escola Politécnica da Universidade de São Paulo (USP), que começou a ser projetado em julho de 2019 para realizar serviços de separação e entrega de medicamentos a pacientes e exames laboratoriais e até limpeza e esterilização do Hospital Universitário da USP, o HU.  Sua implementação pode resultar em um saldo menor de doentes e óbitos entre os profissionais da saúde.

 

By Deborah Moreira via SEESP

 

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Netflix Announces $1 Million Aid Fund for Brazilian Workers

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RIO DE JANEIRO —  Netflix announced Tuesday April 14, the creation of a 5 million reals ($1 million) fund to support local below-the-line production employees and free-lancers not able to work due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The aid will be distributed by the Brazilian Institute of Audiovisual Content (ICAB), an arm of leading industry organization Brazil Audiovisual Independent (BRAVI). It will help up to 5,000 workers with one part of the local monthly minimum wage of US$200. It targets personnel involved in production tasks, such as cinematography, sound, art design, makeup, scenography, and logistics.

 

By Marcelo Cajueiro via Variety

 

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House approves aid to states and municipalities to compensate for loss of revenue

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The Plenary of the House of Representatives approved on Monday (13), Union financial assistance to states, Federal District and municipalities to offset the revenue loss of ICMS and ISS this year compared to 2019. The decrease is forecast pandemic caused by COVID-19. The text (Project of Complementary Law 149/19) will be sent to the Senate, reports the “Agency Board”.

The matter was approved by 431 votes to 70, in the form of substitute Pedro Paulo deputy (DEM-RJ), and provides that the money should be used in actions against the coronavirus. The funds will be delivered from May to October and refer to the collection of difference, if any, between the months from April to September of both years. Thus, for example, in September is not observed drop in income, no pass.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Brazil’s Worst-Hit State Turns to Big Data as Quarantine Wavers

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Sao Paulo, the state at the epicenter of Brazil’s coronavirus cases, is using geo-referenced data provided by the nation’s main telecom firms to monitor the adherence to quarantine measures.

The government is now able to monitor areas where there’s greater movement and concentration of people so it can step in and reinforce the need for social distancing, state secretary for economic development Patricia Ellen said in a press conference Thursday. Firms providing data include Telefonica SA and Telecom Italia SpA’s Brazilian units, as well as Claro SA and Oi SA. The government doesn’t have access to individualized data to protect people’s privacy, she added.

 

By Vinicius Andrade via Bloomberg

 

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Why I Want to Wander Through Brazil’s Wild Outdoor Art Museum

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Homebound the past few weeks, what I miss is pretty straightforward: I want to see friends again, go to galleries, visit my favorite Mexican restaurant. But every so often I find myself lingering on more grandiose possibilities, topmost of which is a trip to Inhotim, a 250-acre sculpture park about an hour and a half’s drive from Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Full disclosure: I’m partially motivated by regret. As the Bloomberg Pursuits arts writer, I get to travel a lot for my job, and while far-flung art fairs and biennials can be eye-opening, I find that at these events I spend more time with the so-called art world than the art itself. That was one of the reasons I pitched a straightforward piece on Brazil’s art scene—no mention of commerce needed.

 

By James Tarmy via Bloomberg

 

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Brazil great whales estimated to be worth USD $82 billion in services provided

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In December 2019 the group of collaborating economists released a paper stating that the value of all great whales worldwide is approximately one trillion US dollars.

 

Via Oceanographic

 

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Low-carbon farming in Brazil can benefit farmers and curb climate change

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Brazil is home to 13% of the world’s forested area.

But in recent years the country has seen a huge increase in deforestation due to land use change and agriculture.

While the largest proportions of greenhouse gas emissions in other countries comes from the energy and transport sector, in Brazil deforestation is a huge emitter.

 

By Barbara Brakarz via Climate Home News

 

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Brazil Turns to Local Industry to Build Ventilators as China Orders Fall Through

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BRASILIA – Brazil’s health minister said on Wednesday that the country’s attempts to purchase thousands of ventilators from China to fight a growing coronavirus epidemic had fallen through and the government is now looking to Brazilian companies to build the devices.

“Practically all our purchases of equipment in China are not being confirmed,” Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta said at a news conference.

 

Via Voa News

 

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Egypt greenlights exports from 42 plants in Brazil

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São Paulo – Egypt has accredited 42 new Brazilian companies to export meat to its market. The plants are 15 beef packers and 27 poultry packers that can now sell to the Arab country after Egypt’s General Organization for Veterinary Services issued the accreditation on March 31.

The agricultural attaché of the Embassy of Brazil to Cairo, Cesar Simas Teles, told ANBA the Arab country has also renewed the accreditation of 95 exporters that were already in the marketing, including 82 bovine slaughterhouses. According to Teles, the negotiation for the new accreditations involved the Secretariat of Trade and Foreign Relations and the Secretariat of Agricultural Defense of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, as well as Brazil’s Embassy in Egypt and Egyptian health offices.

 

By Thais Sousa via Brazil-Arab News Agency

 

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Agribusiness is pillar to rebuild Brazil’s economy in the post-coronavirus, says expert

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The coronavirus should affect all sectors of the economy, but, among all, one has advantage and should come out unscathed from the crisis: agribusiness. The statement is the professor and expert in the field FECAP José Luiz Tejon Megiddo.

According Tejon, the macro sector of agribusiness moves about U $$ 20 trillion in global market including the entire production chain of “before, in and post-gate” of the farms. And, in his evaluation, with high commodity prices and the dollar, they are great prospects for Brazil.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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UPDATE 1-Brazil’s retail sales post pre-coronavirus surge in February

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BRASILIA, April 7 (Reuters) – Retail sales in Brazil surged in February, recording their biggest rise for that month in six years, with consumers’ urge to spend yet to be affected by the looming coronavirus crisis, official figures showed on Tuesday.

Sales volumes excluding cars and building materials jumped 1.2% in February from January, government statistics agency IBGE said, much stronger than the median estimate in a Reuters poll of economists of a 0.3% decline.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Reuters

 

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The Brazil Tech And Innovation Round-Up: Education Sector Under Pressure To Operate Remotely, IFood Courier Numbers Skyrocket, Ribon Enables Donations To Vulnerable Communities, Layoffs

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Quero supports private education providers through crisis

Private higher education firms are expected to see a 20% revenue drop in the period between June and September this year, according to Quero Educação, a Brazilian startup that provides technology to the sector. The edtech, owner of a marketplace that connects students to private education providers, predicts a greater number of students won’t manage to keep up their financial commitments in education over the period, compared to the same period in 2019.

 

By Angelica Mari via Forbes

 

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Brazil’s regulators launch blockchain platform for info sharing

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Brazil has launched a blockchain platform that will allow its three main market regulators to share information seamlessly. The platform is known as PIER and was launched jointly by the Securities and Exchanges Commission (CVM), the private insurance superintendent (SUSEP) and the Banco Central do Brasil (BCB).

While announcing the big move, the CVM stated that the use of blockchain technology is a leap in quality for information security in Brazil. PIER will make access of information siloed by the three institutions safer, broader and more direct, an analyst with the CVM, Frederico Shu stated.

 

By Steve Kaaru via Coin Geek

 

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Coronavirus: Brazil’s favela residents organise to stop the spread

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Residents are still running errands, and motorbikes are still weaving through traffic on the narrow, busy streets. Some shops have closed – but many are very much open, despite a state-wide quarantine. When people here live hand-to-mouth, how do you tell them to shut up shop?

Covid-19 is seen by many in favelas as a rich person’s disease brought in from abroad, but as the virus spreads, they worry that the poor will suffer the most.

 

By Katy Watson via BBC News

 

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Coronavirus: Congress passes a bill that facilitates spending in combating the pandemic

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Gathered in session of Congress on Thursday (02), Senators approved with 78 votes in favor and none opposed the bill that regulates the execution of impositive amendments to the budget (PLN 2/2020), informs the “Agency Senate”.

Moreover, the text was changed to allow the federal government has budgetary margin to increase spending to deal with the economic consequences, social and health pandemic COVID-19, a disease caused by a new coronavirus. Before the senators, federal deputies had approved the project in the morning, early in the virtual session of Congress by 441 votes in favor and 1 opposed. The PLN 2/2020 goes to presidential approval.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Remote operations yield mixed results in Brazil

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As Brazilian companies adapt to new ways of working due to the COVID-19 pandemic, staff are managing to do their jobs remotely, but other areas of people management are being impacted as companies don’t know how to handle certain processes away from the office.

A significant number of Brazilian medium and large-sized organizations had to improvise as employers shut offices down to slow the spread of coronavirus. Some 41% of 240 respondents polled by recruitment consultancy Robert Half said employers rushed to put policies together in the last minute to respond to quarantine measures introduced in states across the country between March 18 and 19.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Brazil unveils $10 bln scheme to protect jobs threatened by coronavirus

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BRASILIA, April 1 (Reuters) – Brazil’s government on Wednesday launched a program that will allow companies hit by the coronavirus crisis to reduce workers’ salaries and hours, or temporarily suspend contracts, in order to preserve as many jobs as possible.

The program could potentially help save up to 12 million jobs, according to Economy Ministry estimates, and will cost the Treasury 51 billion reais ($10 billion).

By Marcela Ayres and Gabriel Ponte via Yahoo Finance

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The Pursuit: Global Women for Change

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Our fellow Eduarda Zoghbi has created a platform for women empowerment that produces regular content in the form of podcasts.

“We strive to create a platform for dialogue among women from around the world. Our focus is on women change makers, their experiences and stories, and sharing it globally with our podcast.”

 

Click here to visit the website

New process will reduce bureaucracy import ports, airports and borders

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The audit of imports of plant products and by-products is already being processed in a single system the federal government: the Single Foreign Trade Portal. The system enables a safer and more responsive control of imports.

It is a concerted effort between the Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Supply and the Ministry of Economy, with the aim of reducing bureaucracy in Brazilian ports, promoting the facilitation of international trade insurance.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Senate approves benefit of R $ 600 to self-employed and informal

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The Senate approved on Monday (30) the payment of an emergency aid for three months in the amount of R $ 600, for the self-employed, informal and without fixed income workers, reports the “Agency Brazil.” Called “coronavoucher”, help comes to repair the losses of income for some slices of society during the period of isolation when job opportunities for these categories are scarce.

The approval was unanimous, with 79 votes in favor and support of the opposition senators and the government. The PSL leader in the Senate, Major Olimpio (SP), was one of several parliamentarians who have spoken. “We are in need of such initiatives in the vein inject money for citizens buy food and survive this calamity. The first time that money will come into the hand of the people will be in this project. It calamity, people are in need. ”

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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UPDATE 3-Brazil government considers emergency coronavirus loans for power sector

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SAO PAULO, March 30 (Reuters) – Brazil’s government is considering an emergency loan package for energy distributors struggling with lower energy use and facing lost revenues because of the coronavirus outbreak, an industry group told Reuters on Monday.

Marcos Madureira, president of Brazilian energy distributors association Abradee, said the package being negotiated by companies and the government could involve loans from state development bank BNDES or a pool of banks, but that the value of the loans and other details was not yet settled

 

By Luciano Costa via Reuters

 

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Brazil introduces surveillance tech to slow the spread of coronavirus

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Governments across Brazil are looking to roll out a system developed that uses geolocation tracking to support actions around the lockdowns intended to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Brazilian startup InLoco develops the geolocation technology, which is normally used by companies from sectors such as retail, to securely target and engage with users without the need to share personal information. Users are geotracked through a location map that doesn’t use GPS or beacons, which InLoco claims to be 30 times more accurate than GPS.

 

By Angelica Mari Via ZD Net

 

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Meet our New Member Fundação Abrinq

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Acting in defense of rights is hard work, which requires full dedication and commitment. Fundação Abrinq knows that if you have focus and passion, it is possible to make a difference and bring opportunities for thousands of children. 

Fundação Abrinq believes in a fairer world, and it was with that in mind the operations were conducted last year. With your feet on the ground, impacting one life at a time, transforming one history at a time; that is how Fundação Abrinq will continue working to ensure a more sensible society when it comes to helping those who most need support and protection: children and adolescents.

Meet Fundação Abrinq

‘People think it’s magic’: how one of Brazil’s poorest cities gets its best school results

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As you approach the city of Sobral in north-east Brazil, the road worsens. Huge pot holes slow traffic to a crawl. The heat is suffocating, even worse when there is no cloud cover.

Sobral is poor. Jobs are scarce, salaries meagre, gangs the only option for many. For children, it’s a tough start to life. Ana Farias, headteacher of an early-years school in a low-income neighbourhood controlled by a gang, knows this only too well. Some of her students wouldn’t eat if it were not for free school meals.

 

By Sarah Johnson via The Guardian

 

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Brazil opens funding for fintechs through state development bank

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SAO PAULO, March 26 (Reuters) – Brazil’s monetary council on Thursday said the country’s fintechs will be able to obtain funding from development bank BNDES, as their usual financing channels have dried up due to coronavirus-linked market tensions.

The authority also said that fintechs will be allowed to issue credit cards as an alternative source of revenue.

 

By Carolina Mandl via Nasdaq

 

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CNI calls for national strategy for foreign trade

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With the diagnosis that the encouragement of industry export capacity is essential for the recovery of the Brazilian economy, the National Industry Confederation (CNI) asked the government to draw up a national strategy for foreign trade, informs the “Agency Brazil.” It said foreign sales are one of the few engines for the resumption of growth will remain after the end of the pandemic caused by the new coronavirus covid-19.

The suggestion contained in the 5th edition of the International Agency of Industry, released on Wednesday (25) by CNI. The document lists 109 actions suggestions for the government and the entity itself, divided into four areas: trade policy, to support the internationalization services, actions in strategic markets and international cooperation.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Notice to Members – Chamber Congratulates New Board Members

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Dear Members:

 

The Board of Directors of the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce hereby welcomes and congratulates, as new President & Chairperson of the Board, Simoni Morato, Chief Executive Officer & Senior Executive Vice President, Safra National Bank of New York (bio attached).  Ms. Morato was unanimously elected by the Board of Directors to serve in this role on March 24, 2020.  Her leadership and insight will be integral to developing strategies and policies that pave the way for the future of the Chamber and further its mission of promoting trade, investment, and cultural ties between Brazil and the United States.

 

The Chamber also welcomes, as new Vice President, Amadeu C. Ribeiro, Partner, Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr. e Quiroga Advogados LLP.

 

As newly-elected Directors, the Chamber congratulates:

 

Daniel Almeida Bogado Leite, Banco do Brasil

Elizabeth Madigan Jost, Morgan Stanley

Paula Kovarsky, Cosan Limited

William Landers, BTG Pactual

Renata Neeser, Littler Mendelson P.C.

Sandy Salgado, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.

Helio Shinohara, Caixa Econômica Federal

Arnoldo Wald Filho, Wald, Antunes, Vita, Longo e Blattner Advogados

 

As re-elected Directors, the Chamber congratulates:

 

Marco Antonio Achon, Banco Santander S.A.

Marcio M. S. Baptista, TozziniFreire Advogados

Celso V.  Barison, Citrus Products, Inc.

Henry G. Burnett, King & Spalding LLP

Roberto De Paula, Royal Consulting, Inc.

Karyn K. Koiffman, Akerman LLP

G. Edward Montero, UBS

Francesca L. Odell, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP

Natalia Quesada, American Airlines

Gabrielle Trebat, McLarty Associates

 

Newly elected to the Executive Committee include, as Past Presidents, Alexandre Bettamio, Chief Executive Officer & President of Latin America Division, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Theodore M. Helms, former Executive Manager, Investor Relations, Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. – PETROBRAS and former Executive Director of the Chamber; as Vice President, Amadeu C. Ribeiro, Partner, Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr. e Quiroga Advogados LLP; and as Members, Francesca L. Odell, Partner, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, and Paulo Vieira da Cunha, Partner, VERBANK Consulting, LLC.

 

Alexandre Bettamio was also elected as Co-Chairperson of the Awards Committee.

 

The Chamber hereby extends a warm congratulations to all now serving on its Board of Directors!

 

Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce, Inc.

 

Please find Simoni Morato’s biography here

Coronavirus crisis threatens data protection regulations in Brazil

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The COVID-19 crisis will likely result in the postponement of the go-live date for Brazil’s general data protection regulations. According to industry observers, the pandemic is seen as a fair justification to delay the go-live date for the regulations, which are due to be enforced in August 2020.

A bill authored by congressman Carlos Bezerra presented in November 2019 had already proposed pushing the go-live date for the rules to August 15, 2022. In his proposal to delay the introduction of Brazil’s GDPR, Bezerra used the slowness in setting up the National Data Protection Authority (ANPD, in the Portuguese acronym), which will be responsible for editing the data protection and privacy regulations, as a key part of the argument.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Infrastructure ministry will work with states to avoid blocking highways

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The Ministry of Infrastructure announced on Monday (23) that the folder will work together with the governors of the states of South and Southeast to avoid local decisions which determine the blocking of roads as containment measure of the spread of the new coronavirus, informs the “Agency Brazil.” The subject was treated in videoconference between the Minister Tarcisio Gomes de Freitas and the governors of the Consortium of South and Southeast Integration (Cosud).

According to the ministry, there was consensus that state decrees shall ensure the free movement of cargo transportation and the operation of services of tire stores, auto repair shops, restaurants and eateries along the highways.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Debentures encouraged now total R $ 9 billion in investments in the biofuels sector

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The Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) published two more ordinances framework of priority projects in the biofuels sector, aiming at issuing debentures encouraged. The measure encourages the expansion of investment by raising funds for infrastructure projects aimed at implementation, expansion, maintenance, recovery, adaptation or modernization of enterprises with tax breaks for investors and encouraging the growth of employment and income in the industry .

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Brazil’s TIM ties-up with Rio de Janeiro to track people’s mobility amid coronavirus crisis

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SAO PAULO, March 23 (Reuters) – Brazilian wireless carrier TIM Participacoes SA said on Monday it has partnered with Rio de Janeiro’s city hall for data analysis that will allow authorities to track displacement and concentration of people in areas affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

In a statement, the local subsidiary of Telecom Italia SpA added it will use its antennas spread across Rio de Janeiro to provide real-time data on people’s displacement throughout the city.

 

By Gabriela Mello via Reuters via Reuters

 

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South American countries define standards to ensure food traffic during pandemic

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Agriculture Ministers from various countries in South America participated in this Monday (23) at the invitation of Tereza Cristina Minister, in a video conference to discuss the harmonization of standards and ensuring a smooth transit of goods and food supplies in the region during coronavirus pandemic. “It is essential to our alignment at the highest level policy, which should also be reflected in agile and clear instructions for the operational plan, especially for the tip, border authorities,” he said the Brazilian minister.

They participated in the virtual meeting with Tereza Cristina ministers Luis Eugenio Basterra (Argentina), Antonio Walker homage (Chile), Rodolfo Max Friedmann Alfaro (Paraguay), Carlos Maria Uriarte (Uruguay), Jorge Luis Montenegro Chavesta (Peru) and Beatriz Eliane Capobiano Sandoval (Bolivia), as well as representatives of the Brazilian ministries of Infrastructure and Foreign Affairs.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Falling fuel prices, weak currency drive Brazil switch from ethanol to sugar

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NEW YORK, March 23 (Reuters) – Brazilian mills are expected to make a sharp switch from ethanol to sugar production in the new season kicking off in the world’s largest sugarcane producer, as falling gasoline prices and a weak currency reduce the biofuel’s appeal, analysts said.

Mills in Brazil have the flexibility to partially switch cane toward sugar or ethanol production, depending on market prices. For the last two years, they have allocated an all-time low amount of cane for sugar, around 34%, as ethanol gave them higher returns.

 

By Marcelo Teixeira via Nasdaq

 

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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources for Employers

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Coronavirus (COVID-19) poses particular concerns for employers for several reasons, beyond the obvious need to protect employees who may be at risk and the need to address employee concerns: coronavirus might be transmittable in the workplace, and is serious; the incubation period after exposure but before symptoms appear is believed to be a minimum of several days; and early symptoms can mimic less severe respiratory problems, such as the flu.

We hope this page provides a useful resource for employers to learn how COVID-19 is affecting various aspects of employment law, and how different jurisdictions are addressing the outbreak. Because the COVID-19 situation is dynamic, with new governmental measures each day, employers should consult with counsel for the latest developments and updated guidance on this topic. 

 

More Information

Ministry of Agriculture and MPF sign cooperation agreement to guarantee legal certainty to public policies

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The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA) and the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) will work jointly to provide greater legal certainty and speed the implementation of public policies folder.

The cooperation agreement was signed on Tuesday (17) between the Minister Tereza Cristina and Attorney General of the Republic, Augusto Aras. The partnership between the two bodies had already been signed in previous years, with the development of similar actions. However, with expansion of map structure, the current government, the agreement was renewed.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Ambev will donate 500,000 bottles of alcohol gel to public hospitals

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With the increase of cases of contamination by the new coronavirus in Brazil, Companhia de Bebidas das Americas (AmBev) announced on Tuesday (17) that is producing alcohol gel to distribute 500,000 bottles to municipal hospitals in the cities of São Paulo , Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia, where cities are concentrated the majority of cases of the disease so far, informs the “Agency Brazil.”

 

By DATAGRO

 

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Brazil launches national standard QR code

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The Central Bank of Brazil has launched its standard for QR Codes, to universalize cashless payments in the country. The new standard will become mandatory in September 2020.

“The new rules aim to increase transparency for end-users, both payers and recipients, by expanding and improving access to information and, thus, creating a pro-competitive environment in the Brazilian Payment System”, said the Central Bank, in a statement.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Golar Plans Brazil LNG Import Terminal

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Golar Power Limited has signed a “protocol of intentions” with the government of Brazil’s Pernambuco state to develop a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal in the Port of Suape in northeastern Brazil, Golar LNG reported Monday.

Golar Power is a 50/50 joint venture (JV) between Golar LNG and the private equity firm Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners, according to Stonepeak’s website.

 

By Matthew V. Veazey via RigZone

 

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Lua Oliveira Launches Favela Library in Brazil

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Lua has a hungry look on her face as she holds her new book on Nelson Mandela, one of thousands the precocious 12-year-old has amassed for her new library in a poor Brazilian favela.

“I don’t read books. I devour them,” she says in Rio de Janeiro’s Tabajaras neighborhood, a shantytown perched in the hills overlooking the chic districts of Copacabana and Botafogo.

 

By Agence France-Presse via Rappler.com

 

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Artificial Intelligence Makes its Mark in the Brazilian Judicial System

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Artificial intelligence (AI) programs are already making decisions in different judicial processes. In these cases, legal professionals check and then confirm the guidelines suggested by the software.

AI also already performs actions such as reading, interpreting, selecting, and drafting legal documents, changing the profile of activities in courts and law firms.

 

By Flávio Ferreira via Folha de S. Paulo

 

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Forecast gross crop of Brazil cafes for 2020 has increased by 25% from 2019

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The estimated gross revenue from all Brazilian crops, with reference to average prices received by producers in January, is estimated for 2020 at $ 438 billion, reports the “Embrapa”.

In calculating this amount, it is established a ranking of five products, it finds that the first figure soybean, R $ 158.6 billion, which corresponds to 36% of the said value; corn, second, with R $ 72.7 billion (15.5%); followed by sugarcane with R $ 59.16 billion (13.5%); upland cotton with R $ 41.4 billion (9.5%) in fourth place; and finally, billing the Cafés do Brazil, fifth place in the ranking, with R $ 25.06 billion, a figure equivalent to 5.7% of all crops. Thus, the estimated revenue from the coffee crop for this year represents an increase of approximately 25% compared to 2019 revenues, which reached R $ 19.94 billion.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Ethanol exports reached 1.77 billion liters by the end of February 2020

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The month of February recorded that ethanol sales by mills in the South-Central region totaled 2.40 billion liters, with 2.28 billion liters for the domestic market and 120.79 million liters for export.

The export volume represents an increase of 41.40% over February 2019 (85.42 million liters), with 99.49 million liters sold in the last half of the month.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Alibaba Files for a Blockchain Transaction System in Brazil

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Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has registered a blockchain-based system patent in Brazil under the category of “insurance,” “financial business” and “monetary business,” according to the March 10th edition of the Industrial Property Magazine (NPI).

As reported by the NPI, the name of the mechanism is “Ant Unicorn.”

By Felipe Erazo via Cointelegraph

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Ethanol is in line with the global agenda for decarbonisation, says Unica

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The opportunity to expand the ethanol consumption in the world is primarily linked to its use as an additive in the mix of fossil fuels, for example, in gasoline. This was underlined by the president of Unica, Evandro Gussi in “Opening Safra Cana, Sugar and Ethanol 2020/21 Santander DATAGRO” on Wednesday (11) in Ribeirão Preto (SP).

According to him, who recently made a tour of Asian countries [India, Thailand and Afghanistan] in order to delve into the reality of these markets biofuels, ethanol is in absolute harmony with the global agenda for decarbonisation. “The world wants to decarbonisation, but does not yet know the ethanol potential for it. In this regard, the electric car, which does not deliver what it promises in environmental terms, has been gaining in the field of communication. ”

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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GDP agribusiness has high of 3.81% in 2019

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The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of agribusiness grew 3.81% in 2019 compared to 2018 and represented 21.4% of total GDP of the country last year, according to publication of the Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (CNA), Center of Advanced Studies in Applied Economics (Cepea) and Agrarian Studies Foundation Luiz de Queiroz (FEALQ).

Services (6.77%), raw materials (5.54%) and agricultural industry (4.99%) grew in 2019. The primary sector was down 3.03%, pushed down by agriculture. “From the perspective of the branches, it is noted that, in 2019, agribusiness was driven by the excellent performance of the livestock sector, while the agricultural industry receded,” says the publication.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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USDA raises Brazil’s soy output estimate

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Brazil’s soybean output in the current 2019-20 season is expected to reach a 126mn t record, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said today, in a 1mn t upward revision from last month’s forecast.

The estimate, if accurate, would represent a nearly 8pc increase from the prior year, according to USDA’s monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (Wasde) report.

 

By José Roberto Gomes via Argus Media

 

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Heineken to pour $183 million into expansion in Brazil

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Heineken NV (HEIN.AS) will invest 865 million reais ($183.14 million) to expand its Ponta Grossa brewing plant in Brazil, the company said on Monday, as competition between the world’s two largest beer makers bubbles up.

The Dutch brewer will make the investment this year and next and focus on it Heineken and Amstel brands at the third-largest brewing facility in Parana state in Brazil, its most important market worldwide.

 

By Alberto Alerigi via Reuters

 

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Bolsonaro and Trump talk about bilateral trade package

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Interested to strengthen the economic partnership between Brazil and the United States, the Presidents Jair Bolsonaro and Donaldo Trump instructed their negotiators to intensify the discussions prior to the possible signing of a bilateral trade package. The information was confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to the folder, the intention is that an agreement will be signed later this year.

Bolsonaro and Trump met on Saturday night (07), during a dinner at a resort belonging to the very head of the US Executive, located in Palm Beach, Florida, announces the “Agency Brazil.”

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Twitter testing disappearing ‘fleets’ in Brazil

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(Reuters) – Twitter Inc (TWTR.N) said on Wednesday it was testing in Brazil a new type of tweet that disappears after 24 hours, similar to the stories feature popular on Snapchat (SNAP.N) and Facebook’s (FB.O) photo-sharing app Instagram.

Called ‘fleets’, the vanishing messages can be viewed by tapping on a user’s profile picture. They do not appear on the user’s timeline or receive retweets, likes or public replies, Kayvon Beykpour, the company’s product lead, said on Twitter.

 

By Ankit Ajmera and Katie Paul via Reuters

 

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Thyssenkrupp, Embraer to build four frigates for Brazil Navy

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FRANKFURT/DUESSELDORF/BRASILIA, March 5 (Reuters) – A consortium formed by Germany’s Thyssenkrupp AG TKAG.DE and Brazilian planemaker Embraer SA EMBR3.SA signed a deal on Thursday to deliver four frigates to Brazil’s navy between 2025 and 2028, the companies said in a statement.

The contract signed in Rio de Janeiro is part of Brazil’s drive to modernize its navy so it can patrol off-shore resources in the Atlantic, such as Brazil’s vast pre-salt oil reserves.

 

By Christoph Steitz and Tom Kaeckenhoff via Nasdaq

 

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Brazil meatpacker JBS plans U.S. listing as BNDES sells stake: sources

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazilian meatpacker JBS SA and state development bank BNDES are planning a simultaneous listing of JBS international operations in the United States and the sale of the bank’s stake in the company, five sources with knowledge of the matter said.

Sources close to the company say JBS is working on a transaction that is different from the one proposed in 2016.

 

By Tatiana Bautzer, Aluisio Alves and Carolina Mandl via WHBL

 

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(Adiado) Empreendedoras Conversando sobre Liderança

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Join WE NYC and the Consulate General of Brazil in New York for this WE Master Leadership Conference!

This event is designed for women entrepreneurs with a goal of starting or growing a business in the United States. We will help you gain the critical management skills needed to start, operate, and grow a successful business.

*Please note the panel will be in Portuguese and the talks in English. For the talks, consecutive interpretation to Portuguese will be provided by Patricia Vittorazzi from New York Step-by-Step on a first-come, first-served basis.

 

The day will feature:

  • A thought-provoking panel discussion (in Portuguese) with successful Brazilian women entrepreneurs who will talk about the lessons they have learned throughout their entrepreneurial journey in the United States. Panelists will include Leticia Moreinos Schwartz, Chef Letícia, Jordana Guimarães, Co-Founder, FashInnovation, Jakeline Castanheira Co-Owner and Manager, Dog Room Club, and Sara Taublib, Founder, ModusRio. The panel will be moderated by Angelica Vieira, Executive Producer, Manhattan Connection.
  • A talk covering the Effective Communication Tactics (in English, with consecutive interpretation to Portuguese).
  • A talk covering Negotiation Techniques (in English, with consecutive interpretation to Portuguese).
  • An opportunity to network with business leaders and other entrepreneurs in the community.

 

More Information

Economy will grow more than 2% if reforms are approved, says minister Guedes

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The Brazilian economy will grow more than 2% in 2020 if the government-proposed reforms are approved, he said on Wednesday (04) Economy Minister, Paulo Guedes, informs the “Agency Brazil.” He said the coronavirus will have little impact on the country because the Brazilian economy is closed in relation to the economies of the rest of the world.

“In the second year [of government], I think we grow above 2%, even with the coronavirus. The Brazil has had two confirmed cases [the number rose to three today]. It is an economy that was relatively closed all these years, “said Guedes, he left the Ministry of Economy for a ceremony at the Presidential Palace.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Complete Genome Sequence for Coronavirus in Brazil Published

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Only two days after Latin America’s first case of coronavirus was confirmed in São Paulo, the largest Brazilian city, researchers at Adolfo Lutz Institute (IAL), the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil and the University of Oxford in the UK have published the complete genome sequence for the virus, which they call severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

The report was published on February 28 on Virological.org, a forum for discussion and data sharing used by virologists, epidemiologists and public health specialists. This kind of information helps understand how the virus is spreading around the world, and is useful for the development of vaccines and diagnostic tests.

 

Via Technology Networks

 

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Online ad firm OLX Brazil in $642 million deal to buy competitor

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OSLO (Reuters) – Online marketplace OLX Brazil has agreed to buy competitor Grupo ZAP for 2.9 billion reais ($642 million), forming a leading Brazilian player in digital real estate advertising, OLX and its European owners said.

By combining their operations, rapidly growing OLX and ZAP can slash costs and boost earnings margins while providing a broader range of services to the online real estate market, they added late on Tuesday.

 

By Terje Solsvik via Reuters

 

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Brazil Posts $3.1 Billion Trade Surplus in Feb, No Coronavirus Impact Yet

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BRASILIA — Brazil posted a trade surplus of $3.1 billion in February, official data showed on Monday, far stronger than forecast and confounding any expectations that the coronavirus outbreak might have dampened exports.

February’s figure was double the median consensus forecast in a Reuters poll of economists of a $1.5 billion surplus, a result of exports totaling $16.4 billion and imports reaching $13.3 billion.

 

By Marcela Ayres and James McGeever via The New York Times

 

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Brazil banking: Benchimol lifts XP’s star

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It’s a hot summer’s day in São Paulo – sadly a relatively rare one this year – and Euromoney is with XP Inc’s head of media relations and the assistant to chief executive Guilherme Benchimol in an air-conditioned meeting room on the 28th floor of the newly IPO’d company. The air con and the chilled water are refreshing; while we wait, the assistant checks her phone.

“He’s nearly here,” she says. “He’s on his way in from his farm.”

By Rob Dwyer via Euromoney

 

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Brazil’s Ambar Wants To Automate Construction For End Consumers

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Brazilian construtech Ambar wants to take the hassle out of the millions of consumers across the country who are either building or renovating their homes with an all-in-one automation platform.

The startup founded in 2012 and backed by the likes of Texas Pacific Group, Endeavor Catalyst and e.bricks Ventures is known for its modular systems – dubbed “Lego for construction”, these are packages of items needed for building or renovation work, in areas such as hydraulics – aimed to facilitate and speed up the overall job.

 

By Angelica Mari via Forbes

 

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Trade balance registers US $ 520 million surplus in the third. week of February

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The Brazilian trade balance registered a surplus of US $ 520 million and total trade of US $ 7.412 billion in the third week of February 2020, as a result of exports worth US $ 3.966 billion and imports of US $ 3.446 billion. According to data released on Thursday (27) by the Secretary of Ministry of Economy of Foreign Trade (Secex / ME) in the month exports totaled US $ 12.364 billion and imports, US $ 11.259 billion, with a surplus of US $ 1,105 billion and total trade of US $ 23.624 billion.

 

By DATAGRO

 

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Santander Brazil Boss Rial Given More Say With Board Role

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MADRID — Santander Brazil head Sergio Rial will join Santander’s board as a group executive director, the Spanish bank said on Thursday, giving the 59-year-old more influence over its overall strategy.

The Brazilian is viewed as one of the leading candidates to become Santander CEO in the medium term, several senior bankers have told Reuters, after the bank failed to hire Italian banker Andrea Orcel for the role in January last year.

 

By Jesús Aguado, Carolina Mandl and Pamela Barbaglia via The New York Times

 

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BlackRocks Startups Helps Black Entrepreneurs Blossom In Brazil

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São Paulo-based organization BlackRocks Startups (BRS) is currently readying a new and larger acceleration cycle to cater for the increase in tech-based products and services created by black entrepreneurs.

According to data from Brazilian research firm Instituto Locomotiva, consumption driven the black population currently injects about 1.7 trillion reais ($380 million) into the local economy. BRS wants to cater for that demand: the accelerator supported the development of five startups in 2019 and this year, 16 early-stage startups will take part in the program.

 

By Angelica Mari via Forbes

 

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Technological advancement should also be reflected in improved income for the producer

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The Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (CNA) participated on 20 and 21 February the 96th edition of the Agricultural Outlook Forum in Arlington in the US state of Virginia. The event was sponsored by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and brought together experts, technicians and representatives of the global agribusiness to discuss innovation and use of technology in the sector.

 

Via Datagro

 

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POLL-Brazil stocks to fly again once coronavirus worries subside

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BUENOS AIRES/SAO PAULO/MEXICO CITY, Feb 26 (Reuters) – Brazilian stocks are forecast to soar nearly 19% by the end of 2020, logging a fifth year of solid gains, according to a Reuters poll of market strategists who were looking beyond current jitters over the coronavirus outbreak.

The benchmark Bovespa stock index .BVSP is forecast to rise to 135,000 points by the end of 2020, a 18.8% increase over its last mark before Carnival holidays this week, according to the median estimate of 15 strategists surveyed Feb 13-25.

 

By Gabriel Burin, Paula Laier and Miguel Gutierrez via Nasdaq

 

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Centrica sends cargo to launch Brazil’s first private LNG terminal

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LONDON, Feb 25 (Reuters) – Britain’s Centrica CNA.L chartered a vessel to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) this month to power firm Centrais Elétricas de Sergipe S.A. (CELSE) ELET6.SA, launching Brazil’s first private LNG terminal.

Brazil has been implementing reforms to end the monopoly of Petroleo Brasileiro SA PETR4.SA, known as Petrobras, in supplying natural gas to the domestic market. The new terminal was developed before the reforms were announced last year.

 

By Ekaterina Kravtsova via Reuters

 

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Aena wins Brazil concession

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Through its subsidiary Aena Desarrollo Internacional, Aena has been awarded the concession for the Northeast Brazil airport group of six airports.

The concession is for 30 years, with the possibility of a further five. The airports included are: Juazeiro do Norte – Orlando Bezerra de Menezes; Recife/Guararapes – Gilberto Freyre; Joao Pessoa – Presidente Castro Pinto; Campina Grande – Presidente Joao Suassuna; Aracaju – Santa Maria; and Maceió – Zumbi dos Palmares.

 

By Tara Craig via Passenger Terminal Today

 

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Brazil’s new ranks of shareholders reflect fundamental shift

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Mairton Garbelotti is taking a gamble.

Like many Brazilians, the 67-year-old pensioner from São Paulo has grown accustomed to high interest rates, which for decades fed through to double-digit returns in money-market investments backed by Treasury bills. But those high yields have evaporated with cut after cut to the country’s benchmark interest rate. In response, Mr Garbelotti has joined a new army of investors who are turning to riskier assets in search of higher returns.

 

By Jonathan Wheatley and Andres Schipani via Financial Times

 

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Brazil poised to make central bank independent of political control

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Brazil is poised to give its central bank independence from political control in a move spearheaded by the bank’s US-educated president Roberto Campos Neto to shore up its reputation with international investors. Legislation to implement the change was pushed through Congress’s committee stages last week and is expected to face a full parliamentary vote in the coming weeks.

 

By Bryan Harris via Financial Times

 

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WhatsApp chooses Brazil to launch its first major ad campaign

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WhatsApp has chosen Brazil to launch its first major brand advertising campaign.

The Facebook-owned messaging service has published a seven-minute film showing people communicating via WhatsApp as a fire breaks out ahead of Carnival celebrations. Users are seen sending messages to organize costume donations for a rival’s dance school whose warehouse burns down, and the ad ends with “Rivals in public. Friends in private,” with WhatsApp’s logo, and “From Facebook,” underneath.

 

By Lucy Handley via CNBC

 

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Solar energy expands quickly in Brazil, attracts Chinese firms

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PORTO FELIZ, Brazil (Reuters) – Beside the green pastures and sugarcane plantations surrounding the farming town of Porto Feliz is the strange sight of hundreds of blue, silicon panes turned towards the sun.

This solar farm, about 150 km (93.2 miles) from Sao Paulo, produces electricity for around 40 homes and small businesses like restaurants and gyms.

 

By Luciano Costa via Reuters

 

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Brazil’s Central Bank to Launch Near-Instant Payments as a Response to Cryptocurrencies

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Called PIX, the project from the country’s central bank will provide 24/7 payments in up to 10 seconds via mobile apps, internet banking and ATMs, according to reports from Reuters and local crypto news site Livecoins on Wednesday.

Slated for launch on Nov. 10, 2020, PIX is aimed to speed up and reduce the costs of fiat transfers between individuals and businesses.

 

By Daniel Palmer via CoinDesk

 

Read full article here

UPDATE 1-Brazil oil production rises 20% in January to all-time high

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SAO PAULO, Feb 19 (Reuters) – Oil companies produced 3.17 million barrels per day (bpd) on average in Brazil in January, a volume 20.4% larger than seen in the same month a year earlier and an output record for the country, oil regulator ANP said on Wednesday.

Natural gas production increased 22% over January 2019 to 138.7 million cubic meters per day on average last month, also a record. The deepwater, pre-salt field known as Lula accounted for a third of all oil production in Brazil, reaching 1.05 million bpd of crude on average in January, ANP said.

 

By Marcelo Teixeira via Reuters

 

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Soybean Mogul Negotiating to Buy Tejar’s Brazil Unit

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(Bloomberg) — Amaggi, the Brazilian soybean group owned by entrepreneur-turned-politician Blairo Maggi, is in advanced talks to buy the local unit of Argentina’s El Tejar to capitalize on increasing crop demand from China, people with knowledge of the matter said.

The proposed acquisition of O Telhar encompasses all assets in Brazil, including about 70,000 hectares (173,000 acres) of farming land, cotton mills, warehouses and machinery, one of the people said, asking to not be identified as talks are private. Amaggi declined to comment, while El Tejar representatives in Brazil didn’t immediately respond.

By Fabiana Batista and Tatiana Freitas via Yahoo Finance

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Airline Startup Of The Week: Brazil’s Ita

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There will be a new airline in Brazil by 2021. The bus company Itapemirim Group received $500 million USD to set up, among other initiatives, a new airline in the country, said local newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo.

Sidnei Piva, Itapemirim president said that one of Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth funds provided with the $500 million USD to start up a new airline. The current name for this carrier is Ita, according to AirlineGeeks.

 

By Daniel Martínez Garbuno via Simple Flying

 

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Brazilian telecoms regulator discusses 5G auction rules

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Brazilian telecoms regulator Anatel has launched a public consultation to discuss the rules of what could be the world’s largest single auction for fifth-generation (5G) spectrum later this year.

The consultation will last for 45 days and will set the specific details of the auction. A draft version of the rules had been approved by Anatel’s board earlier this month.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Sales of smart home devices accelerate in Brazil

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The smart home devices segment will be one of the highlights of the consumer technology market in Brazil this year, according to analyst firm IDC.

With new devices on offer as well as new features such as the ability to understand commands in Brazilian Portuguese, the analyst firm estimates an increase of 50% in units sold and a boost of over 40% in revenue.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Mattos Filho has the highest number of Band 1 practice areas and professionals in Brazil

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Chambers Global 2020 edition consolidates Mattos Filho’s outstanding position among elite firms in Brazil. Once again, the firm had the largest number of Band 1 professionals, in addition to maintaining the leadership in Band 1 practice areas and individual recognition of partners.

Among the novelties of this edition, there were seven new categories of recognition for professionals in the following categories: Capital Markets; Compliance; Dispute resolution: Arbitration; Corporate/M&A; Litigation; Oil & Gas and Projects.

Chambers Global is one of the most notable publications in the international legal market and annually brings together law firms and lawyers with excellence in more than 190 countries. In preparation for the ranking, the guide carries out interviews with clients, in house lawyers, and international offices, in addition to using information from other publications of the institution.

We thank the market for the trust as we continue to serve our clients with excellence. Click here and check more details about our performance in the ranking.

Agricultural Production Value has the potential to grow 6.7% in 2020

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The grain harvest survey results impacted favorably on Agricultural Production Value (VBP) this year, estimated at R $ 674.10 billion, and represents a real increase of 6.7% compared to 2019, says the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA). The expected growth rates are 6.4% for crops and 7.3% for livestock.

Yields of information released this week by Conab (National Supply Company) and the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) indicate favorable performance for the grain harvest. To date, there has been no weather problems in major producing regions and forecasts of a crop of 251 million tonnes according to the Conab, and 246.7 million tons, according IBGE survey. These figures are records for the Brazilian grain production.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Brazil Education Giant Back in M&A Game With $590 Million Raise

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Brazil’s largest for-profit education company raised about 2.56 billion reais ($590 million) in a sale of the firm’s shares, a move to cut debt and pave the way for new acquisitions.

Cogna, formerly known as Kroton, offered a total of 232.4 million shares, including an additional allotment, with stock priced at 11 reais each, the company said in a regulatory filing Wednesday, confirming an earlier report by Bloomberg.

 

By Vinicius Andrade and Rachel Gamarski via Bloomberg

 

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Retail sales in Brazil up 1.8 pct in 2019

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) — Retail sales in Brazil were up 1.8 percent in 2019 compared with 2018, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) announced on Wednesday.

According to the IBGE, only one out of the nine sectors analyzed by the agency registered decrease in sales volume — books, newspapers and stationary products, whose sales were down 20.7 percent in 2019.

 

Via Xinhua Net

 

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Look on the bright side of the Brazilian real

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Is it time to buy the dip in Brazil? Local assets have been tanking. The currency has dropped 7 per cent this year to a record low. São Paulo stocks have slumped by a similar degree.

Investors were spooked last week when December’s industrial production data disappointed. The nervous mood certainly has not been helped by the coronavirus outbreak. Brazil is far from the centre of that storm but its large commodities exports and relatively liquid markets make it an easy target when jitters hit.

 

By Jonathan Wheatley via Financial Times

 

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UPDATE 2-Brazil central bank assessing increased ‘power’ of recent rate cuts – minutes

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BRASILIA, Feb 11 (Reuters) – The economic and financial impact of Brazil’s recent interest rate cuts may be greater than in previous periods, minutes of the central bank’s last policy meeting showed on Tuesday, thereby justifying a pause in its unprecedented easing cycle.

On balance, the minutes showed policymakers believe there may be less slack in the economy than previously thought, and that more flexible credit and capital markets have magnified the power of monetary policy.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Reuters

 

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Brazil defines timescales for sale of state-owned tech firms

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The Brazilian government has defined timescales for the sale of its technology companies to private sector buyers.

According to the goals announced by the team in charge of the government’s privatization initiatives, Dataprev and Serpro, companies accountable for the development, maintenance, and operations of thousands of government systems, will be sold by June 2021.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Canadian Solar Secures 225.2 Million Brazilian Reais Financing for Lavras Project in Brazil

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GUELPH, Ontario, Feb. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Canadian Solar Inc. (the “Company”, or “Canadian Solar”) (NASDAQ: CSIQ), one of the world’s largest solar power companies, today announced it has secured 225.2 million Brazilian reais (US$ 55 million) non-recourse project financing from Banco do Nordeste do Brasil S.A. (BNB) for its Lavras solar power projects. Since the beginning of 2019, Canadian Solar has secured BRL 1,007 million (US$ 247 million) solar project financing with BNB.

The 152.4 MWp Lavras project will be funded over 21 years across the construction and operation phases of the projects. The inflation-linked debt tied to the National Consumer Price Index (IPCA) will provide improved capital and resource alignment with the Brazilian economy.

Via Yahoo Finance

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How Brazil Can Become An Economic Powerhouse

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In only one-year Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro has been able to revert 13 years of socialist policies which were implemented by the previous leftist presidents Lula and Dilma. His accomplishments include passing important free-market reforms such as the pension reform and different de-regulation laws, such as the reduction of the number of Ministries from 29 to 22, and the privatization of logistics networks from roads to airports. Thanks to the approval of the anti-crime package crime rates have dropped by 22%. Also, 2019 was the best year for employment since 2013, with almost one million jobs created.

 

By Lorenzo Montanari via Forbes

 

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CNA and the Ministry of Infrastructure discuss positive agenda for road transport

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The president of the Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (CNA), João Martins, discussed the construction of a positive agenda for the carriage of cargo with the National Secretary of the Ministry of Land Infrastructure Transport, Marcello da Costa Vieira.

The Confederation has presented proposals for the sector in order to facilitate the flow of agricultural production. “For us the dialogue with the government is important to work to find solutions for road transport is vital for agriculture,” Martins said. “It is the quality of the production flow that will make the country the largest exporter of food in the world.”

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Brazil Pushes Its Great Downsizing and Rakes In $5.2 Billion

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(Bloomberg) — The Brazilian state development bank unloaded its voting stake in oil giant Petroleo Brasileiro SA, raking in 22 billion reais ($5.2 billion) as part of a wave of asset sales aimed at reversing years of growing government influence in Latin America’s biggest economy.

BNDES, as the bank is known, sold all 734 million shares, including over-allotments, for 30 reais apiece late Wednesday, the company said in a regulatory filing. That’s a discount of less than 2% to the closing price, an indication that demand held up well in the face of sinking crude prices. Shares rose more than 1% in early trading Thursday to top the offering price.

By Cristiane Lucchesi,  Vinicius Andrade and Sabrina Valle via Yahoo Finance

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Brazil Caps Record-Breaking Easing Cycle With Final Rate Cut

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Brazil’s central bank intends to hold interest rates going forward to consider the impact of the record-breaking monetary easing cycle it concluded on Wednesday with a quarter-point cut.

The bank’s board, led by its President Roberto Campos Neto, lowered the Selic rate to 4.25%, as forecast by 35 of 45 economists in a Bloomberg survey. The remaining analysts expected borrowing costs to stay at 4.5%.

By Mario Sergio Lima via Yahoo Finance

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A New Way Forward for Brazil’s Economy

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Part of a continuing series on how Latin America can overcome a decade of slow economic growth. 

Economic analysts, myself included, once thought that Brazil could reach a per capita income equal to Spain or Portugal by the early 2020s. Instead, the 2010s seem destined to go down as a lost decade for Brazil in many of the ways that matter most: productivity, living standards, health, education, and fairness.

 

By Thomas J. Trebat

 

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Hedge Fund Makes a Bold Bet on Brazil Rates

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A newcomer in Brazil’s booming hedge fund industry says the country’s interest rate cuts will have to run much deeper than most investors expect, defying calls that the easing cycle is close to an end.

Persevera Asset Management, a firm created by former executives at HSBC Holdings Plc in Brazil, expects Latin America’s largest economy to once again grow less than forecast. That will force the central bank to cut the key rate from the current 4.5% to as low as 3% this year.

 

By Vinicius Andrade and Felipe Marques via Bloomberg

 

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A vision in concrete: Oscar Niemeyer’s Brazil

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During a brief visit to Rio de Janeiro, taking in Sugar Loaf mountain, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, and dutifully drinking cool caipirinhas, my heart was really elsewhere – 1,200km inland to Brasília in the central plateau to be precise. It wasn’t sand, samba and rainforests I was after, but clean modernist lines and reinforced concrete laid out on the Cerrado (the country’s vast tropical savannah).

 

By Chris Hall via The Guardian

 

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American Airlines announces partnership with Brazil’s GOL Airlines, beefs up Miami flights

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American Airlines is teaming up with Brazil’s largest airline, GOL Airlines, in a new agreement allowing American to market GOL flights to its passengers and vice versa.

The codeshare partnership will allow American to connect its passengers on GOL flights to places outside the reach of its direct flights from Miami to Brasilia, Sao Paulo, Manaus and Rio de Janeiro. To prepare for the deal, American is adding 12 more daily flights from Miami International Airport to six cities across the U.S. this summer and a second daily flight from MIA to Rio de Janeiro next winter.

 

By Taylor Dolven via Miami Herald

 

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Regulatory and Strategic Considerations for Doing Business Between Brazil, Japan and the United States

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Program Fee:
Free for Members | $15 for Nonmembers

Description:  
While geographically distant, Brazil, Japan and the United States are economically tight-knit countries with important, longstanding ties that bind them together. Nowhere are these connections more readily apparent than in the corporate and antitrust space.  The panel will provide an overview of how companies from the three jurisdictions deal with antitrust regulators in one of the other countries. The panelists will also discuss the role of New York law in corporate transactions involving the three countries. Finally, the panel will also discuss potential opportunities for investors in Brazil, Japan and the U.S. and how to navigate risks and other strategic considerations.

Intro Speaker:
John Welch, Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce

Moderator:
Jeff Amato, Winston & Strawn

Panelists: 
Yukio Kaiju, TMI Associates
Amadeu Ribeiro, Mattos Filho
Thales Saito, Machado Meyer
Masaru Umeda, Nishimura & Asahi NY LLP
Harumi Urata-Thompson, HUT Consulting LLC

Sponsoring Association Committee:
Asian Affairs Committee, Jian Wu, Chair
Inter-American Affairs Committee, Michael A. Fernandez, Chair

Co-Sponsoring Association Committee:
Project Finance Committee, Ricardo S. Martinez, Chair
Antitrust & Trade Regulation Committee, Fred Taylor Isquith, Chair

Co-Sponsoring Organizations:

Columbia Law School Brazilian Association
Inter-American Bar Association New York Chapter

 

Where
New York City Bar Association
42 West 44th St
New York, NY 1003
UNITED STATES

U.S. willing to help Brazil improve oil auctions, official says

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb 2 (Reuters) – The U.S. government is ready to help Brazil design more effective oil auctions, the U.S. secretary of energy said on Sunday, after the South American nation’s attempt to sell tens of billions of dollars of production rights to private firms last year largely flopped.

In November, Brazil, a staunch U.S. ally under far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, tried to sell the rights to four offshore oil producing zones in a process that could have fetched some 106.5 billion reais ($25.5 billion) for the government.

 

By Gram Slattery via Reuters

 

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U.S. travel to Brazil jumps 39% with visa waiver

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – The number of Americans booking flights to Brazil has jumped 39% since the government of President Jair Bolsonaro waived a visa requirement for U.S. citizens in June, according to its official tourism agency, which is devising plans to draw more.

BRASILIA (Reuters) – The number of Americans booking flights to Brazil has jumped 39% since the government of President Jair Bolsonaro waived a visa requirement for U.S. citizens in June, according to its official tourism agency, which is devising plans to draw more.

 

By Anthony Boadle via Reuters

 

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Brazil: A self-reporting take on digital finance

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First there is the tech itself. And while tech in finance is admittedly not a new addition to the beat, the pace of expansion has become to feel a little intense.

It’s not just that innovation is coming in faster waves or that it’s increasingly complex, it’s that technology is now actually changing business strategy. It is creating brand new ecosystems, rather than just giving a productivity jolt to existing financial segments.

By Rob Dwyer via Euromoney

 

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“Prêmios como o POY abrem as portas para as mulheres”, diz Luiza Helena

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Responsável pela inovação e liderança do Magazine Luiza, a empresária Luiza Helena Trajano, 68 anos, vem abrindo portas para as mulheres há muito tempo. Recentemente, foi a segunda brasileira escolhida para receber o prêmio “Person of the Year”, criado há 50 anos pela Câmara de Comércio Brasil-EUA.

Em entrevista à FORBES, Luiza comentou alguns fatores que, na sua opinião, foram importantes para que conseguisse chegar a tal posição e como a utiliza para ajudar outras mulheres que estão no mundo dos negócios.

 

By Daniel Veloso via Forbes Brasil

 

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Brazil names Guedes to run privatization drive after shakeup

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil put Economy Minister Paulo Guedes in charge of its drive to find investors to buy state assets, a presidential decree said on Friday, a day after the program’s deputy head was fired due to a controversy over improper use of an Air Force jet.

The move extends the broad authority Guedes already has over economic policy and he has said the government needs to speed up privatization of all state companies to help reduce its budget deficit and spur growth.

 

By Marcela Ayres via Reuters

 

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Brazil Taps a 36-Year-Old Mandarin Speaker to Boost China Trade

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A 36-year-old, Mandarin-speaking trade specialist is Brazil’s newest bet to boost food exports to China just as the Latin American country fights with the U.S. for a bigger share of the world’s largest commodities market.

Larissa Wachholz, who holds a masters degree from the Renmin University of China, was tapped in December by the Brazilian agriculture ministry to lead a trade unit dedicated to the Asian country, the first of its kind in Brazil. Her mission is to diversify Brazilian exports to its top trading partner beyond soybeans and beef, as part of a strategy to smooth out the ups and downs in trade flows between the countries.

By Samy Adghirni and Simone Iglesias via Yahoo Finance

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UPDATE 1-Equinor and partners award first Brazil oilfield contracts

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OSLO, Jan 30 (Reuters) – Norway’s Equinor and partners ExxonMobil and Petrogal Brasil have awarded engineering contracts for a planned Brazilian oilfield development, the Norwegian operator of the project said on Thursday.

A design contract for a floating oil production and storage vessel (FPSO) was awarded to Japan’s Modec Inc, while seabed systems (SURF) will be planned by the Subsea Integration Alliance, formed by Subsea 7 and OneSubsea.

 

By Terje Solsvik via Reuters

 

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Confidence in Brazil’s construction sector reaches 5-year high in Jan.

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) — Confidence in the Brazilian construction sector rose in January to a five-year record, Brazilian think tank Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV) announced on Tuesday.

According to the FGV, the confidence indicator of the construction sector rose from 89.9 points in December to 91.9 points in January, the highest since May 2014.

 

By Xinhua Net

 

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UPDATE 1-Canada’s Brookfield gets OK to build Brazil solar power plants

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SAO PAULO, Jan 28 (Reuters) – Canada’s Brookfield Asset Management Inc has received the go-ahead from Brazilian antitrust regulator Cade for certain solar energy projects in the country’s northeast, according to a decision published in the government’s official gazette on Tuesday.

The solar power plants, to be built in the state of Ceará, will have total capacity to produce 278 MW of electricity, according to a description of the projects in Cade’s decision.

 

By Ana Mano via Reuters

 

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Brazil levels playing field for foreign companies in government contract market

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s government is changing the rules to give foreign companies an equal shot at winning government contracts, the Economy Ministry said on Monday.

Economy Minister Paulo Guedes has pledged to fight corruption and open up one of the world’s most protected countries to foreign business and the overseas investment necessary to modernize Brazil’s crumbling infrastructure.

 

By Marcela Ayres via Reuters

 

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Voice and video 4G provision improves in Brazil

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The mobile network experience has seen “notable improvements” in Brazil, particularly in 4G metrics such as video and voice consumption, according to a new report.

The Mobile Network Experience Report by mobile analytics firm Opensignal has found that the introduction of 4G on the 700 MHz spectrum band in Brazil is having a big impact in the last six months, with users on networks that have implemented it spending more time on 4G and enjoying faster average download speeds.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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India, Brazil sign 15 accords to deepen ties across range of sectors

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(Reuters) – India and Brazil have signed 15 accords aimed at forging closer ties between the two emerging market giants across a range of sectors, especially defense, both countries’ leaders tweeted on Saturday.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro took to social media to hail the closer cooperation and agreements struck during Bolsonaro’s official visit to India.

 

By Ismail Shakil and Jamie McGeever via Reuters

 

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Brazil government sees $100 billion interest savings, wiping out primary deficit by 2022

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – The Brazilian government’s interest payment bill on the national debt could fall by 417 billion reais ($100 billion) over the course of its four-year term ending in 2022, by which time the primary budget deficit could also be completely eliminated, a senior Economy Ministry official said on Thursday.

The fall to a record low 4.5% in the central bank’s benchmark interest rate since the middle of last year accounts for the interest savings, and the public finances could be even stronger if economic reforms accelerate growth further, said Waldery Rodrigues, special secretary to the Economy Ministry.

 

By Marcela Ayres via KFGO

 

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Brazilian CVM to launch cryptocurrency regulatory sandbox

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The Brazilian Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM) has announced the launch of a new regulatory sandbox containing specific guidelines for cryptocurrency and digital token issuance.

The news comes after the country’s regulator stated at the end of last year that the implementation of blockchain technology is a top priority for 2020.

By Pedro Febrero via Yahoo Finance

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Brazil became 4 ° investment destination in the world in 2019

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With the help of federal enterprises privatization program, Brazil rose from sixth to fourth place among the leading foreign investment destinations in the world in 2019, informs the “Agency Brazil.” According to a report released on Monday (20) by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad), Brazil received US $ 75 billion in foreign investment last year, up from $ 60 billion in 2018.

The first three places in the ranking investment destination were with the United States, with US $ 251 billion last year; China, with US $ 140 billion and Singapore with US $ 110 billion. The $ 75 billion that arrived in Brazil amount to more than half of the $ 119 billion that South America received last year.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Enterprises in Brazil Move to Automate Workplaces and Empower Employees

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SÃO PAULO, Brazil, Jan. 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enterprises in Brazil are moving toward fully automating their digital workplaces, and are looking for vendors to help them empower workers through self-support, according to a new report published today by Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm.

The 2019-2020 ISG Provider Lens™ Digital Workplace of the Future Report for Brazil finds enterprises in Brazil focusing on improving worker experience with workplace tools. Enterprises are embracing automation, but they also want to improve user productivity by enabling better collaboration and discovering new ways of working.

Via Yahoo Finance

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GREENSPOON MARDER PROMOTES SIX ATTORNEYS TO PARTNER IN 2020

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MEDIA CONTACT
Natalie Villanueva, Marketing / PR Manager
954.333.4308   |   natalie.villanueva@gmlaw.com

 

GREENSPOON MARDER PROMOTES SIX ATTORNEYS TO PARTNER IN 2020

 

Fort Lauderdale, FL – January 13, 2019 – Greenspoon Marder is pleased to announce the promotion of six attorneys to partner from various offices firm wide. The individuals recognized for their professional accomplishments and outstanding client service include: Marcela Bermudez, Matthew Ginder, Adam D. Kemper, Ron Lebow, Phillip Silvestri and Lawren A. Zann.

 

“Each of these new partners have reached this stage of success due to their hard work, ongoing dedication to our firm and legal skills,” said co-managing director, Michael Marder. “We are proud to call them partners, and know that this group of attorneys exemplify the type of quality and high professional standards that we hold here at Greenspoon Marder,” said co-managing director, Gerald Greenspoon.

 

Ms. Bermudez is a member of the firm’s Immigration & Naturalization practice group. She focuses her practice on business immigration. Ms. Bermudez advises and represents a diverse group of clients, including banks, global financial service companies, technology companies, and business and corporations of all sizes in the hiring, transfer and retention of foreign nationals. She also represents individuals, including artists, researchers, professors and scientists. Ms. Bermudez has a broad client base servicing LATAM with its evolving economic and immigration concerns. Ms. Bermudez is a frequent speaker on immigration issues at national and local conferences. She has been published and quoted in a variety of publications including Cannabis Business Times, SHRM Magazine and Bloomberg Law Daily Labor Report. She serves on the Tri-State Diversity Council’s New York Advisory Board and Greenspoon Marder’s Diversity Council. She received her J.D. from Yeshiva University Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2000.

 

Mr. Ginder is a member of the firm’s Cannabis Law practice group. He represents various cannabis and hemp related businesses where he assists in many areas of the industry, including licensing, regulatory and compliance, and business transactions. Mr. Ginder is regularly quoted in a variety of publications including Marijuana Business Daily, SFBJ, Miami Herald and Sun Sentinel to name a few. Additionally, he is a frequent speaker on a variety of cannabis issues. Mr. Ginder is ranked among Chambers & Partners in the “Cannabis Law: Corporate/Transactional” category in 2019. In 2018, he was named one of the “30 Most Powerful Cannabis Attorneys” by mg Magazine. He received his J.D. from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center in 2009.

 

Mr. Kemper is a member of the firm’s Labor & Employment practice group. Mr. Kemper has extensive experience advising companies on workplace compliance and also litigating employment-related disputes on behalf of both employees and companies. Mr. Kemper also does extensive writing, public speaking and training on relevant labor and employment topics. He has been published and quoted in a variety of publications including Law360, Daily Business Review, South Florida Business Journal, Miami New Times, HR Magazine, South Florida Business & Wealth, Cannabis News Florida, DecentraNet Market Report, among several others. He has also been recognized by South Florida Legal Guide as a “Top Up & Comer” in 2020 and by Super Lawyers magazine as a “Florida Rising Star” from 2017-2020. Mr. Kemper received his J.D. from the Florida International University College of Law in 2010.

 

Mr. Lebow is a member of the firm’s Health Law practice group. He focuses his practice on business, contract, corporate and regulatory matters. Mr. Lebow has extensive experience drafting and negotiating agreements and structuring operations and business arrangements for a variety of medical providers. He was recognized by the National Law Journal as a “Health Law Trailblazer” in 2019. Mr. Lebow received his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School in 2001.

 

Mr. Silvestri is a member of the firm’s Litigation and Cannabis practice groups. His practice focuses on defending highly regulated businesses in state and federal courts. Mr. Silvestri primarily represents businesses in the cannabis, timeshare, and banking/finance industries. In addition to litigation, Mr. Silvestri has extensive mediation experience both as an advocate and neutral. He has been recognized by Super Lawyers magazine as a “Rising Star” from 2012-2019. Mr. Silvestri received his J.D. from Wake Forest University in 2008.

 

Mr. Zann is a member of the firm’s Litigation practice group. He concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial litigation and complex class action litigation. Mr. Zann has extensive trial experience and has defended companies facing complex class actions in state and federal courts covering a broad range of industries throughout the country. He received his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law in 2007.

 

About Greenspoon Marder

Greenspoon Marder is a national full-service business law firm with 240 attorneys and 26 locations across the United States. We are ranked amongst American Lawyer’s Am Law 200, as one of the top law firms in the U.S. since 2015. Since our inception in 1981, our firm has been committed to providing excellent client service through our cross-disciplinary, client-team approach. Our mission is to understand the challenges that our clients face, build collaborative relationships, and craft creative solutions designed and executed with long-term strategic goals in mind. We serve Fortune 500, middle-market public and private companies, start-ups, emerging businesses, individuals and entrepreneurs nationwide. For more information, visit www.gmlaw.com.

Brazil’s new US$100 million Antarctic base, built by China

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Brazil has inaugurated a new US$100 million Antarctic base, built by Chinese company CEIEC to replace a research station destroyed by fire almost seven years ago.

“Brazil is back in the Antarctic with great force,” Science and Technology Minister Marcos Pontes, Brazil’s only astronaut, wrote in a Twitter message from the Comandante Ferraz base on King George Island off the Antarctic peninsula.

Via South China Morning Post

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U.S. backs Brazil for OECD membership ahead of Argentina

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – The United States’ change of stance to support Brazil’s bid to join the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) ahead of Argentina was welcomed by the Brazilian government on Tuesday.

The U.S. government’s plans, after having previously said they wanted Argentina to be next in line to join the rich nations’ club, are a win for far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, a longtime admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump who has sought closer ties with Washington since taking office last year.

 

By Anthony Boadle via Reuters

 

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Agricultural production value of 2019 reached a record R $ 630.9 billion

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Gross Agricultural Production Value (VBP) ended 2019 with R $ 630.9 billion, 2.6% higher than the previous year. The amount is a record for the series, which began in 1989, surpassing the VBP 2017 (R $ 627.1 billion). Last year, the crops have generated a value of R $ 411.1 billion and livestock, R $ 219.8 billion, reports “Ministry of Agriculture”.

According to the technical note of the Department of Finance and Information, of the Agricultural Policy Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA), the year was marked by the “extraordinary growth in corn sales and also exceptional performance of livestock, with real increase of 9%. the crops were reduced by 0.5%. ”

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Brazil climbs to sixth from eighth biggest world market

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The year 2019 was quite good for the Brazilian auto industry although it could have been better.

Last month, for example, daily average sales were the best in six years, topping 13,173 registrations. This resulted in industry and dealer stocks of 33 days in December 2019, down from 38 days in November, slightly below the 35 considered normal.

 

By Fernando Calmon via Just Auto

 

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Brazil is emerging as a world-class AI innovation hub

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Brazil’s government has big plans for AI, despite having come late to the party. In Oxford Insights’ AI Readiness Index 2019, Brazil was ranked 40 out of 192 countries, a sign that the South American powerhouse is moving up in the AI world. The report looks at how ready countries are to take advantage of the AI technologies PwC forecasts will add $15 trillion to the global economy by 2030.

The 2019 report also cautions that the “Global South could be left behind by the so-called fourth industrial revolution.” But even as some of the planet’s richest nations, including Canada, China, Germany, Japan, Singapore, and the U.S, have become recognized AI innovation hubs, according to studies by Deloitte and others, South America — led by Brazil — is rapidly emerging as a leader in AI-enabled businesses.

 

By Bruno Henriques via Venture Beat

 

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Movile: Brazil Will Start Producing Its Own Big Techs

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The emergence of big techs is likely in Brazil this year as investment floods into the Southern Hemisphere’s largest economy, prompting a major shake-up for leading businesses scrambling to reinvent themselves.

This is the prediction of Fabricio Bloisi, founder of São Paulo-based Movile, a conglomerate that includes delivery app iFood, which has UK food delivery firm JustEat as one of its investors. Movile is part of the select club of Brazilian unicorns, which has 11 companies to date – a number that, according to Bloisi, will substantially increase in the months to come.

 

By Angelica Mari via Forbes

 

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Americans Don’t Need A Visa To Visit Brazil Anymore. Here’s Where To Eat And Sleep When You Go.

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As of June 17, 2019, Americans no longer need a tourist visa to enter Brazil (nor do Canadians, Australians or Japanese), eliminating a longstanding hurdle that kept many casual travelers from visiting South America’s largest nation. It’s now easier than ever to visit Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brazil’s two largest cities, where you’ll find lush parks and gardens, mammoth murals, enviable beaches, futuristic museums and near-endless shopping, but whatever may be on your agenda for your Brazilian break, the best food and drinks are sure to be high on your list. You’ll certainly want to try Globos, the puffed cassava starch snack found in both salty and sweet varieties all over Rio, and pão de queijo, the cheesy bread puffs served as a snack or with meals everywhere, but you’ll stumble across these favorites without even trying. To guide you toward more refined culinary experiences with locally immersive hotel stays in this freshly accessibly country, check out what Marriott has to offer in both Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.

 

By Brandon Schultz via Forbes

 

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Brazil posts strongest November job creation since 2010

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BRASILIA, Dec 19 (Reuters) – Brazil added 99,232 payroll jobs in November, the best expansion in employment for the month since 2010, the Economy Ministry said on Thursday, as a gradual economic recovery brings improvement in the labor market.

The result was well above expectations, and more than double the forecast 47,500 new jobs in a Reuters poll of economists.

 

Via Reuters

 

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Brazil’s debt under control, tax reform next: economy minister

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s Economy Minister Paulo Guedes said on Wednesday he had reached agreement with Congressional leaders on modernizing the country’s complex tax system next year and one option could be taxing on-line transactions.

Brazil has brought its snowballing public debt under control with reform of the costly pension system and spending cuts, he said, while interest rates are at record lows after the central bank cut its benchmark Selic rate to 4.50% on Dec. 11.

 

By Marcela Ayres and Anthony Boadle via Reuters

 

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Brazil, China finalizing soymeal export protocol: Abiove

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazilian and Chinese government authorities are finalizing a protocol setting health standards for domestic processors to export soymeal to the Asian country, André Nassar, president of oilseeds industry group Abiove, said on Monday.

The health guidelines will allow companies to export and eventually compete with soy processors based in China, something they cannot do now. The change is happening as local processors are required to increase crushing to produce more biodiesel to boost local blending. The added output of soymeal, a byproduct, would need new buyers.

 

By Ana Mano via Reuters

 

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Brazil congressional committee approves 2020 budget

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BRASILIA, Dec 17 (Reuters) – A Brazilian congressional committee on Tuesday approved the government’s budget for next year, with the bill based on projected 2.32% GDP growth in 2020 to be put to a vote in a joint session of Congress on Wednesday.

The budget proposal would raise the minimum wage earned by Brazilian workers to 1,031 reais ($246) a month from 998 reais ($238).

 

By Maria Carolina Marcello via Reuters

 

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Government wants to auction off 44 infrastructure assets in 2020, says minister

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The Minister of Infrastructure, Tarcisio Gomes de Freitas, said on Friday (13) that the government plans to hold auctions 40 to 44 infrastructure assets next year, reports the “Agency Brazil.” The expectation is that the granting of port projects, airports, roads and railways reach R $ 101 billion in investments during the period of the contracts.

Among the projects is the concession to the private initiative of 22 airports (divided into three blocks), seven roads, nine port terminals, two railways and the early renewal of four railway contracts loads. During conference on the afternoon of Friday, the Minister took stock of the folder shares in 2019. In total, they sold 27 assets, which should result in R $ 9.4 billion in investments and R $ 5.9 billion in grants .

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Country risk dropped to the lowest level in nine years

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Indicator that measures the distrust of investors in a particular economy, country risk fell on Monday (16) to the lowest level in nine years, reports the “Agency Brazil.” The Credit Default Swap (CDS) of five years in Brazil was 100.2 points at around 17h, but came to hit 98.2 points around 14h, the lowest score since November 2010 (96.9 points ), when the country was still investment grade – good paying stamp.

The CDS functions as an informal barometer of the probability of a country defaulting on global financial markets next five years. The lower the index, the greater the confidence of international investors.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Amazon launches new distribution center in Brazilian state of Pernambuco to expedite delivery

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Contxto – As far as reach goes, Amazon is certainly spreading its wings throughout Latin America. Proving this, the e-commerce goliath recently launched a new distribution center in the northeastern state of Pernambuco.

To expedite delivery in northeastern Brazil, this new location in Cabo de Santo Agostinho will permit deliveries in under two days to nearby state capitals. These include Recife in Pernambuco, João Pessoa in Paraíba, Natal in Rio Grande do Norte, Maceió in Alagoas, and Fortaleza in Ceará.

 

By Jacob Atkins via Contxto

 

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Chinese companies to build Brazil’s second-longest bridge

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) — A consortium of state-owned Chinese companies on Friday was awarded the contract to build and operate what will be the second-longest bridge in Brazil.

Under the project, a bridge will be built spanning the famed Bay of All Saints, which connects Salvador, capital of the northeastern Bahia state, with Itaparica Island. The project also involves the construction of related roads.

 

Via Xinhua Net

 

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Brazil services sector gets off to solid fourth-quarter start

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Services sector activity in Brazil expanded in October far more than economists had expected, figures on Thursday showed, indicating that overall growth in Latin America’s largest economy continued to accelerate going into the year end.

The figures appear to back up the central bank’s statement on Wednesday accompanying its decision to cut interest rates to a new low of 4.50% that “economic activity since the second quarter indicates that the process of economic recovery picked up relative to the first quarter.”

 

By Jamie McGeever via KFGO

 

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Nokia signs contract with TIM Brazil to launch IoT offer

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Espoo, Finland – Nokia has signed a contract with telecommunications giant TIM to provide Internet of Things (IoT) services to its enterprise customers in Brazil. Using the fully virtualized Nokia Worldwide IoT Network Grid (WING) managed service offer, TIM and its enterprise customers across industries,such as automotive and agriculture, will be able to capture IoT opportunities faster and more securely.

The Brazilian market is the largest IoT market in Latin America, with widespread adoption of IoT technologies estimated to add USD 200 billion to the country’s economy by 2025. Nokia’s first WING deal in Latin America enables TIM to leverage new business models to tap this opportunity and generate additional revenue streams. Additionally, incremental services, such as device management and analytics, will help TIM extend SIM management capabilities to create value added opportunities.

Via Yahoo Finance

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S&P raises Brazil’s outlook to positive

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Dec 11 (Reuters) – S&P Global Ratings on Wednesday revised the outlook on Brazil to positive from stable, citing the government’s continued implementation of measures to reduce its fiscal deficit.

“The approval of social security reform and expected progress on fiscal and growth measures, along with moderate growth driven by stronger domestic demand, could improve Brazil’s fiscal position over the medium term,” the agency said in a statement here

 

By Shivani Singh via Reuters

 

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Brazil central bank cuts key rate to record low

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SÃO PAULO–Brazil’s central bank cut its benchmark interest rate by a half point Wednesday, as inflation has remained below target amid increasing signs the economy is improving.

The bank cut the benchmark Selic rate to 4.5%, a record low that follows a series of reductions that brought it down from 14.25% in 2016. In its post-meeting statement, the bank was less clear about its next step than in previous statements, but indicated it’s open to continue cutting rates next year.

 

By Paulo Trevisani via Market Watch

 

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Brazil XP’s Valued at $14.9 Billion as IPO Tops Target Range

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XP Inc., Brazil’s largest brokerage by equity-trading volume, raised $1.96 billion in its U.S. initial public offering, pricing its shares above the marketed range.

The company and its existing shareholders sold 72.5 million shares Tuesday for $27 each after offering them for $22 to $25, according to a statement. That gives XP a market value of about $14.9 billion based on the outstanding shares listed in its filings with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

By Cristiane Lucchesi , Vinicius Andrade , Felipe Marques, and Crystal Tse via Bloomberg

 

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Project will bring innovation and sustainability to producers of the Legal Amazon

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The Minister Tereza Cristina (Agriculture, Livestock and Supply) released on Monday (09) Innovation project in the Agricultural Production Chains for Forest Conservation in the Legal Amazon. The goal is to bring innovation to the productive chain of the beef, soy and wood to increase the productivity and value of products aligned with the sustainable use of natural resources and conservation of the Amazon rainforest.

The project will be implemented from 2020 to 2024 in five states: Amazonas, Mato Grosso, Pará, Rondônia and Tocantins.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Exclusive: Brazil’s Rock Content Acquires ScribbleLive

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Brazilian content marketing startup Rock Content has announced the purchase of US sector player ScribbleLive, creating one of the largest companies in the segment in the Americas.

The buyout, announced exclusively to Forbes, is the continuation of the company’s international expansion, which began in 2017 with the launch of operations in Mexico. With the addition of ScribbleLive (SL), which has offices in Boca Ratón and Toronto, the enlarged Rock organization will boost its 400-strong workforce with about 100 employees. The two companies combined have a freelancer base of about 80,000 professionals.

 

By Angelica Maria via Forbes

 

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One of Latin America’s most valuable startups is changing the way Brazilians bank

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When David Vélez walked into a Brazilian bank branch to open an account six years ago, he was appalled by the experience.

First, he had to check his bag in a locker outside. Next, he waited to pass through a security line manned by three armed guards. He sat there for 45 minutes and finally spoke to someone, who acted like they were doing him a favor by deigning to talk about opening an account. Then, he was sent off to make a phone call to bank employees elsewhere and was later forced to return to the bank a half-dozen times over the next four months.
By Julianne Pepitone via CNN Business

Brazil’s Newest Unicorn: Wildlife Studios Raises $60M Series A Led By Benchmark

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Notably, the nine-year-old company said in a statement that the investment gives it a valuation of $1.3 billion. According to Brazil Journal, the round makes Wildlife Studio “Brazil’s most valuable tech company with the widest global reach.”

In addition to San Francisco-based Benchmark, participants in the round include Bessemer Venture Partners; Javier Olivan, VP of growth at Facebook; Ric Elias, co-founder and CEO of Red Ventures; Micky Malka, partner at Ribbit Capital; Divesh Makan, partner at ICONIQ Capital; and Hugo Barra, former VP of VR at Facebook.

 

By Mary Ann Azevedo via Crunch Base

 

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Brazil’s new fintech startup Cora raised $10 million on the strength of its founding team

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It didn’t take much for the founders of Cora, Brazil’s newest startup to tackle some aspect of the broken financial services industry in the country, to raise their first $10 million.

Igor Senra and Leo Mendes had worked together before — founding their first online payments company, MOIP, in 2005. That company sold to WireCard in 2016 and after three years the founders were able to strike out again.

 

By Jonathan Shieber via Tech Crunch

 

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Brazil’s booming credit markets fan hopes of ‘revolution’

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This weekend a group of executives from XP Investimentos, a Brazilian financial services firm, will fly to New York to oversee the company’s initial public offering on the Nasdaq stock exchange, due to be priced on Tuesday.

They hope to raise $1.7bn in a sale that would value XP, which was founded 18 years ago by a newly unemployed 24-year-old, at about $14bn.

 

By Jonathan Wheatley, Bryan Harris and Andres Schipani via Financial Times

 

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Brazilian FinTech Rebel Lands $10M For Affordable Loan Products

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Rebel, a Brazilian FinTech that offers unsecured credit to middle-class citizens in the country, has raised $10 million in new equity funding, according to a press release.

Last year, the company also raised $4 million from XP and other companies. Participants in this round include Monashees, 99, Loggi and FinTech Collective. The company said it has gotten more than $1 billion in loan requests since it started.

 

Via PYMNTS

 

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Brazil needs to invest 4.31% of GDP per year in infrastructure, says Abdib

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Investment in infrastructure in 2019 should reach R $ 131.7 billion, compared to R $ 122.8 billion in 2018, updated figures by the IPCA 2018 prices, point calculations of the Brazilian Association of Infrastructure and Basic Industries (Abdib). In 2017, investments totaled R $ 115.2 billion. In 2016, R $ 117.5 billion, the same criteria.

Already in 2020 the infrastructure sector, whose investments are at a level too low after significantly retreat in recent years, will contribute more positively to the recovery of the economy as a whole.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Special Brazil Webinar How to Fast-Track your Business in Brazil

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Two world leading experts in helping international companies open businesses and operate successfully in Brazil will be teaming up to give a fast-paced webinar about using the smartest strategies for success in Brazil.

The webinar will be led by Francisco Mendez with Globalization Partners and Bruno Drummond with Drummond Advisors.

Topics include:

  • Fastest way to hire a full-time employee
  • Employer of Record process explained
  • Speeding up receipt of your Federal Tax ID Number (CNPJ)
  • Dos and Don’ts of setting up your company in Brazil
  • Avoiding delays in your M&A agreement
  • Understanding Brazil Labor laws
  • Preparing Visa Applications
  • Transfer Pricing Calculations

Participants are encouraged to ask questions at any time during the webinar.
We look forward to a very lively dialogue about business in Brazil and hope you will join us.

Register Here

BP and Bunge conclude formation of joint venture

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BP and Bunge announced on Monday (02) who completed the formation of BP Bunge Bioenergia, a joint venture combining their business bioenergy and ethanol sugarcane in Brazil.

The continued growth of biofuels will be a key enabler for the decarbonisation of the transport sector, say the companies. The Brazilian market is one of the largest and fastest growing low carbon biofuels to the world and, through this transaction, Bunge BP Bioenergy becomes the second largest operator in terms of effective grinding in the Brazilian ethanol market.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Integrated systems improve productivity of meat, says Embrapa

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How to spend 4-6 kilos of meat per hectare per year for livestock productivity 20 to 30 kilos per ha / year? For the researcher Luiz Adriano Maia Cordeiro, EMBRAPA Cerrado, the answer is sustainable intensification of production systems. He said the technologies such as Integration Crop-Livestock-Forest (IAFP) Crop-Livestock Integration (ILP) and recovery of pastures are ways to promote this intensification with higher efficiency, lower pressure by opening and clearing of forest areas, increased production to improve the environment (water, soil, biodiversity, etc.) and an increase in productivity.

During the V Symposium IAFP the State of São Paulo, coordinated by Sudeste (São Carlos) and the Luiz Study Group de Queiroz (GELQ – ESALQ / USP), Lamb presented Embrapa’s research results with integrated production systems. In the experiments, after integration with crop and livestock (ILP), the meat productivity has increased five times.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Brazilian stocks to rise in 2020 after 2019’s Latin American turmoil

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SAO PAULO — Brazilian equities are expected to shine amid a fog of political and economic uncertainty in Latin America next year, outperforming regional peers due to record-low interest rates and a pending lineup of market-friendly economic reforms.

The latest Reuters quarterly poll shows Brazil’s benchmark Bovespa stock index extending this year’s rally to end 2020 at 130,000 points, according to the median of 18 forecasts from traders, brokers and economists.

 

Via Gabriela Mello via Financial Post

 

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Brazil Executives Testing The USA’s Global Entry System

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November 26th, 2019 – About 20 Brazilian executives will soon test the U.S. Global Entry system according to a statement from Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro chief of staff.

This announcement on November 25, 2019, enables visitors from Brazil to stop at kiosks in certain airports in the USA to have their fingerprints scanned, fill out a customs declaration form, and easily enter the country, reported Reuters.

 

By Dani Reiter via Vax Before Travel

 

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Equinor to drill 30-40 exploration wells and target Brazil in 2020

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OSLO (Reuters) – Norway’s Equinor plans to drill 30-40 oil and gas exploration wells globally in 2020, similar this year, with Brazil being a “hotspot” of its international efforts, the company’s exploration head said on Tuesday.

The company will drill about 20-30 exploration wells on the Norwegian continental shelf, focusing on the North Sea, plus wells at the Johan Castberg and Wisting discoveries in the Barents Sea, Equinor’s Tim Dodson told Reuters.

 

By  Nerijus Adomaitis via Reuters

 

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Brazil sugarcane growth can meet biofuel need and not drive deforestation: study

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Sugarcane production in Brazil could expand by more than 5 million hectares (19,305 square miles) by 2030 to meet demand for ethanol biofuels, according to a study published in the journal Energy Policy — with potential impacts on the nation’s carbon emissions and deforestation.

Biofuels are liquid fuels produced from crops, such as biodiesel produced from soybeans and ethanol made from fermented corn or sugarcane. They’ve been presented by advocates as a silver bullet for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, but critics argue that the clearing of native vegetation to make way for biofuel plantations, and the carbon emissions associated with that land-use change, can exceed the emissions savings gained by avoiding fossil fuels.

 

By Claire Asher via Mongabay

 

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From UBS to JPMorgan, Brazil Stock Bulls Are Running Wild

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From JP Morgan Chase & Co. to UBS Group, big Wall Street banks reinforced their bullish bets for Brazilian stocks this week, suggesting a year-long rally has further to go.

They are recommending clients to be overweight in stocks from Latin America’s biggest economy, saying a pickup in growth next year and record-low interest rates set a Goldilocks scenario for equities. The rally that took the Ibovespa benchmark index to an all-time high this month is just the start, they say.

 

By Aline Oyamada and Vinicius Andrade via Bloomberg

 

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Brazil’s net metering policy leads to growth in solar distributed generation

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November 22 (Renewables Now) – Brazil’s growth in distributed generation from renewable resources—especially solar—has increased since it implemented net metering policies in 2012, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) says in an overview. As of mid-November 2019, owners have installed more than 135,000 renewable distributed generation systems in Brazil, totalling about 1.72 GW of capacity, according to the Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency (ANEEL).

 

By EIA via Renewables Now

 

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UPDATE 1-Brazil inflation in mid-November slips to second lowest in over 20 years

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BRASILIA, Nov 22 (Reuters) – Brazilian inflation fell to the second lowest level in more than two decades, according to a mid-month measure of consumer prices released on Friday, a figure likely to give the central bank extra cover to reduce interest rates again next month.

The annual rate of Brazil’s IPCA-15 consumer price inflation in the month to mid-November fell to 2.67% from 2.72% the month before, marking the lowest rate since September last year and the second lowest since March 1999.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Reuters

 

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Brazil Is the Big Beef Winner From China’s Hunt for Protein

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China’s effort to fill a protein gap created by the spread of African swine fever is rippling through Brazil’s massive beef industry, pushing up prices and profits for both cattle ranchers and meatpackers.

While China has been increasing local poultry production and raising pork imports from several suppliers, Brazil is the only big beef exporter able to meet the Asian nation’s demand. Chinese importers are snapping up all types of cuts, inflating prices along the Brazilian chain from calves to animals ready for slaughter.

 

By Tatiana Freitas via Bloomberg

 

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Gross Value of Agricultural Production is expected to grow 1.7% in 2019

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The Gross Value of Agricultural Production (VBP) 2019 is estimated at R $ 609.5 billion, based on data for October. The value is 1.7% more than in 2018, which was R $ 599.4 billion. In estimating the crops reach R $ 399.9 billion and livestock, R $ 209.5 billion. The value of cattle was raised to 6.6%, while the crops were reduced by 0.7%.

Most of the products analyzed has shown good performance, according to the survey of the Agricultural Policy Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply. Among these, the main highlights are: herbaceous cotton (value of production increased by 17.5% compared to last year), peanuts (12.4%), bananas (18.7%), potatoes (101.4%) bean (56.4%), orange (4.5%), castor (37%), maize (23.8%) and tomato (10%). In some products, such as beans, potatoes and tomatoes English, prices were more important than the amount set for the result.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Why SoftBank Is Investing in Brazil, and Why Nobody There Seems to Care About WeWork

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SoftBank has made plenty of headlines lately, but for all the wrong reasons (like the downfall of WeWork, its once-darling investment in the United States). In other regions, though, the Japanese investment firm is managing to quietly dole out its mega-bucks—minus the intense level of scrutiny that follows its fund or other investments.

The growing middle class and fast adoption of new technologies has made Latin America—and in particular countries like Brazil and Mexico—a prime target for SoftBank. The firm has already made bets on 10 different startups in the region, according to André Maciel, managing partner of the SoftBank Innovation Fund. The exec spoke at this week’s Fortune Global Forum in Paris, where he talked about the various reasons why this region is so attractive to SoftBank. (In total, SoftBank is committing $5 billion in investments in Latin America.)

 

By Michal Lev-Ram via Fortune

 

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Brazil continues efforts to attract launch business

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HOUSTON — The government of Brazil is ready to move into the next phase of efforts to attract commercial launch business to the country with the ratification of an agreement with the United States.

Brazil’s Senate formally approved Nov. 12 a technology safeguards agreement that the country’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, signed in March during a visit to the United States that included a meeting with President Donald Trump. That agreement allows American spacecraft and launch vehicles to be exported to Brazil for launches there, ensuring compliance with export control and nonproliferation policies.

 

By Jeff Foust via Space News

 

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What Brazil’s Tariff Changes Mean for U.S. Manufacturers

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After decades shielded by closed economic policies, Brazil is changing its course on trade. President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration is slashing import tariffs on more than 2,300 products — reducing some to zero from as much as 20%.

For local businesses accustomed to protectionism, the policy change means being forced to adapt to the challenges of free trade. For American manufacturers, however, the world’s eighth-largest economy just became a new opportunity.

By Shelagh Dolan via ThomasNet

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Demand for connected devices grows in Brazil

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Brazilian consumers are increasingly looking to buy connected devices for personal use and for the home, according to research carried out by software firm Avast.

According to the study, 31% of consumers in Brazil are looking to get a smartwatch. More women want a smartwatch (33% versus 31% of the males surveyed). The wishlist of Brazilian consumers also includes Alexa or Google Home smart speakers (30%), smart lamps (29%) and smart thermostats (10%). The survey polled 609 people from March to May 2019.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Protecting native vegetation on rural properties yields Brazil USD 1.5 trillion per year

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The 270 million hectares of native vegetation preserved by rural landowners (Legal Reserves and unprotected areas) yield Brazil the equivalent of some U.S. $1.5 trillion per year in ecosystem services, such as crop pollination, pest control, water security, rain production and soil quality maintenance.

The calculation is part of a paper published in the journal Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation and endorsed by 407 scientist signatories, including 371 researchers affiliated with 79 Brazilian institutions.

 

By Maria Fernanda Ziegler via phys.org

 

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Brazil economic activity picks up in September

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SAO PAULO — Economic activity in Brazil accelerated in September, closing the third quarter on the upswing and offering hope that the country’s long-struggling economy may be turning the corner.

The central bank’s IBC-Br economic activity index, a leading indicator of gross domestic product (GDP), rose 0.44% in September from August, well above 0.07% growth the month before.

 

By Jose de Castro via Financial Post

 

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Brazil and China close agreements in innovation and agricultural technology

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Brazil and China signed today (13) agreements and memorandums of understanding in the areas of politics, economy, trade, agriculture, health inspection, transportation, health and culture. Chinese President Xi Jinping, is in Brasilia to attend the 11th meeting of BRICS Summit and met early on Wednesday with President Jair Bolsonaro, at the Itamaraty Palace, informs the “Agency Brazil.”

Speaking to press, Bolsonaro said the government and Brazilian businessmen want to expand and diversify trade with China. For the president, the acts signed give impetus to these relations. “This bilateral relationship in various areas, including the Chinese government’s nod on adding value what we produce, all this is very welcome,” he said.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Brazil government unveils package to create up to 4 million jobs by end-2022

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s government on Monday announced measures and legislative proposals to create up to 4 million jobs by 2022 and inject tens of billions of reais into the economy through loans and projected savings for private and state-run firms.

The proposals are aimed at generating jobs and growth in Latin America’s largest economy, which is on track to expand at a sluggish pace of around 1% for the third year in a row and boasts a stubbornly high unemployment rate of just under 12%.

 

By Marcela Ayres via Reuters

 

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Ministry of Agriculture launches project to boost innovation in the productive chain of soy

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The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply Cristina (PR) signed on Tuesday (12), Agrobit held in Londrina (PR), the project’s term sheet Coalition Soy 4.0, along with the Innovation director and technology Embrapa, Cleber Soares, the general head of Embrapa Soja José Renato Bouças Farias, the innovation Secretary MPLS, Fernando Camargo, the president of the Rural Parana Society, Antonio Sampaio and AgroValley manager – Londrina innovation cluster George Hiraiwa.

According to Farias, the project Coalition Soy 4.0, under the leadership of Embrapa Soja, aims to strengthen the innovation assets for the soybean crop. Embrapa Soja engaged in the development of technological solutions for the soybean crop in Brazil, bringing technical guidelines for production systems and seeking innovative solutions to the field.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Brazilian Digital Onboarding Startup idwall Lands $10M Series B With Qualcomm As Lead

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Online fraud and identity theft is a global problem. In Brazil, in particular, it’s estimated that those types of crimes cost the country about $15 billion a year. In fact, Brazil is ranked second in the world in terms of the number of online fraud and identity theft infractions. And, the country is home to one fraud attempt every 16 seconds.

Besides being a problem for its citizens, the issue also can negatively impact the country’s economic relationships with other countries, that may hesitate to do business there.

 

Via Mary Ann Azevedo via Crunchbase

 

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Brazil’s prison island turned paradise

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Few can claim to have visited the white-sand beaches and lush mountain jungles of Brazil’s Fernando de Noronha archipelago, but that’s not for a lack of trying. Around 75% of these 21 scenic islands set 350km off Brazil’s north-east coast were declared a protected national marine park and sanctuary in 1988, and in order to promote sustainable development, only 420 visitors a day are allowed to enter.

But while a trip to these volcanic clusters is highly sought-after by tourists now, it wasn’t always so. Between the 18th and 20th Centuries, the main island was used as a prison for some of Brazil’s most dangerous criminals.

 

By Ana Terra Athayde via BBC Travel

 

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Silicon Valley’s changing role as Brazil’s iFood shows how to innovate anywhere

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Brazil’s iFood is a great example of a highly innovative company that is very much a product of Silicon Valley — even though it is founded and funded largely by Brazilians (and South Africans). It has raised nearly $600 million and has swiftly built a giant business. It is one of Brazil’s nine unicorns today.

I came across iFood earlier this year at the well-attended BayBrazil conference in Silicon Valley, where Fabricio Bloisi, founder and CEO of Movile, a Brazilian mobile apps and investment firm, was the keynote speaker. Bloisi is a colorful personality, and he’s funny and humble considering all the success he’s had in business.

 

By Tom Foremski via ZDNet

 

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Exclusive: Brazilian Mobility Startup Kovi Raises $30M Series A From Global Investors

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Kovi, a fast-growing 17-month-old Brazilian mobility startup, has raised a $30 million Series A led by Global Founders Capital.

New investor Quona Capital and existing investors Monashees, Maya Capital, Accel partner Kevin Efrusy, Y Combinator, Broadhaven Ventures, Tinder founder Justin Mateen and ONEVC also participated in the financing, which brings Kovi’s total raised since its inception to $40.6 million.

 

By Mary Ann Azevedo via Crunchbase News

 

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Brazil unveils reform package to tackle huge fiscal deficit

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s government unveiled a bundle of wide-ranging reforms on Tuesday, aimed at cutting spending and reducing the size of the state to drive down its chronic fiscal deficit.

Pushing ahead with an ambitious privatization plan, he sent Congress a bill to sell Brazil’s largest utility, state-run Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras SA (ELET6.SA), known as Eletrobras.

 

By Marcela Ayres and Lisandra Paraguassu via Reuters

 

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How Brazil’s SoftBank-backed Banco Inter aims to supercharge loan growth

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazil’s Banco Inter SA , a SoftBank-backed online lender that has seen rapid growth thanks to its free checking accounts, is preparing to launch a smartphone app offering food delivery and ride hailing, its chief executive told Reuters.

The bank has seen deposits skyrocket in recent years but remains a relative bit player in Latin America’s largest economy.

 

By Carolina Mandl via KFGO

 

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Podcast market booms in Brazil

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Now the second largest market for podcasts in the world, Brazil is attracting increased investment from players active in the segment.

Brazil is only behind the United States when it comes to consumption of the audio format, according to Podcast Stats Soundbites. Large companies placing their bets in the format, like Google, expect non-English markets like Brazil and India to grow exponentially.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Bulls Bank On Brazil Again

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Brazil, Latin America’s largest economy, is lowering interest rates and the Senate there recently passed much-needed pension reform. With those factors, among others, in mind, perhaps it’s not surprising some professional investors are again warming to Brazilian equities.

The iShares MSCI Brazil Capped ETF EWZ, +1.70% is up 18.53% year to date, a gain that’s well ahead of the 9.88% returned by the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. EWZ has a three-year standard deviation of 28.48%, also well above that of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, but this year, Brazilian stocks are justifying the added risk.

 

Via Market Watch

 

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Enterprise Rent-A-Car Launches Operations in Brazil

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The world’s largest car rental provider, Enterprise Holdings, Inc. – which owns and operates the Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands through its integrated global network of independent regional subsidiaries – today announced its further expansion in South America with the launch of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car brand in Brazil, joining the National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands in the country.

 

Via Travel Pulse

 

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Brazil cuts rates to new low 5.00%, signals pace of future easing may slow

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s central bank cut its benchmark interest rate to a new all-time low of 5.00% on Wednesday as expected, but signaled that further easing may be less aggressive than it has been in recent months, despite inflation running well below target.

In a change from recent statements, the bank’s policymakers warned that the historically low level of rates could raise uncertainty and lift inflation within the time horizon for which the bank sets policy.

 

By Jamie McGeever via KFGO

 

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Sorry, Bezos, Brazil already has an Amazon. It’s MercadoLibre

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(Bloomberg)—When Amazon.com Inc., No. 1 in the Internet Retailer 2019 Top 500, announced it was rolling out its popular Prime delivery subscription service in Brazil last month, shares of  local e-commerce competitors tanked. Investors also got jittery in 2017, when the world’s largest online retailer launched a marketplace to sell electronics. In both cases, the shares recovered quickly once investors reminded themselves of a durable truth about Brazilian ecommerce: Local firms have a firm igrip on the market and are in little danger of succumbing to the American interloper.

So it goes for Amazon in Latin America’s largest economy. Seven years after entering Brazil, the Seattle-based company is battling to gain traction against a handful of local competitors with extensive delivery networks, strong brands and a deep understanding of Brazilian shoppers.

 

Via Digital Commerce 360

 

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Controlling inflation Brazil central bank’s priority, says rate-setter nominee

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – The main aim of the Brazilian central bank’s monetary policy is to ensure low and stable inflation, Fabio Kanczuk, the monetary authority’s incoming director for economic policy, said at his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday.

In brief opening remarks, in which he made no further comment on his outlook for official interest rates, Kanczuk said “it is with monetary stability that we will get interest rates to the most appropriate levels, always firm in our objective of promoting an environment of sustainable economic growth.”

 

By Marcela Ayres via KFGO

 

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Brazil rates to hit record low 5.00%, seen falling further: Reuters poll

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s benchmark interest rate will be cut to a record low of 5.00% on Wednesday, according to the unanimous view in a Reuters poll of economists, as the central bank battles to spur economic growth and prevent inflation from falling further below target.

All 31 economists surveyed say the bank’s rate-setting committee known as ‘Copom’ will reduce the Selic rate by half a percentage point for the third successive meeting. A dovish outlook for the next year from 25 economists was also unanimous.

By Jamie McGeever via Yahoo Finance

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Mercosur agreement with Canada may open market of $ 300 billion, says diplomat

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Negotiations between Mercosur and Canada aimed at closing a free trade agreement are “intense”, with the possibility of being finalized by 2020. This was the information brought to the Committee on Foreign Relations and National Defense (CRE) of the Senate by the diplomat Pedro Henrique Lopes Borio on Thursday (24), when appeared before and had its name approved to head the Brazilian embassy in Canada.

“Interestingly, the coordinator of the negotiations on the Canadian side, David Usher, must occupy a prominent place in the new cabinet of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has just been re-elected. This shows the importance that Canada gives the Mercosur because they want to reduce the dependence of the US economy have. They want to diversify its trade. But this agreement is also of paramount importance to Brazil. Will open the Canadian government procurement market for us, that comes to $ 300 billion [about US $ 1.2 trillion] per year, “Borio said.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Brazil’s BR Distribuidora to create energy, natural gas and ethanol trading cos

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazilian fuel distributor Petrobras Distribuidora SA is considering creating energy trading units as it seeks to reposition itself after its privatization last July, Brazilian newspaper Valor Economico reported on Thursday.

The company is considering creating ethanol, electricity and natural gas trading businesses, Rafael Grisolia, BR Distribuidora’s chief executive, told the Thursday edition of Valor Econômico.

 

By Ana Mano via Reuters

 

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Can Brazil’s pension reform kick-start the economy?

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After decades of delay and political deadlock, Brazil has finally passed its long awaited pension reform. It is a big victory for the country’s far-right president Jair Bolsonaro and his economic tsar, the University of Chicago-educated Paulo Guedes, who spearheaded its passage.  The costs of failure would have been high. Brazil’s ballooning pensions spending risked sparking “a social collapse” in Latin America’s largest economy, according to Rodrigo Maia, the Speaker of the lower house who shepherded the constitutional amendment required to reform the pensions system through a fractious Congress.

 

By Andres Schipani and Bryan Harris via Financial Times

 

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Brazil and Israel close partnership for the development of agricultural technology

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The Brazilian Research and Industrial Innovation (EMBRAPII) and Israel’s Innovation Authority (IIA, acronym in English) will support the development of four Innovation projects carried out in cooperation, Brazilian and Israeli companies. They will invest US $ 7.5 million. The resources include business investments in both countries, the agencies encouragements to innovation and research centers. The EMBRAPII finances non-reimbursable funds 1/3 of the Brazilian company in each project.

The projects, which cover several areas, are the first results of the cooperation agreement signed between EMBRAPII and the IIA, which aimed to expand mutual cooperation in science and technology of the two countries and facilitate the identification of business opportunities that can generate innovative products and systems to market. “The partnership with IIA showed that this initiative can lead the industries of Brazil and Israel to be more attentive to the wide range of opportunities to be explored between the two countries,” said Jorge Guimaraes, CEO of EMBRAPII.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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CATL To Supply Batteries For Volkswagen e-Delivery In Brazil

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Chinese battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. (CATL) just scored another important order – this time from Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus (part of Volkswagen Group) for commercial vehicles in Latin America.

The newly signed long-term strategic cooperation agreement between CATL and VWCO will initially focus on all-electric Volkswagen e-Delivery trucks (11 and 14-ton version), that from 2020 will be produced in Brazil.

 

By Mark Kane via InsideEVs

 

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UPDATE 1-Brazil mid-month October inflation lowest in 21 years

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BRASILIA, Oct 22 (Reuters) – A measure of Brazilian inflation this month fell to its lowest in over 20 years, figures on Tuesday showed, cementing the view that the central bank will cut interest rates to a fresh all-time low next week and probably again before the year is out.

Consumer prices rose 0.09% from mid-September to mid-October, marking the weakest rate of this particular measure of monthly inflation for any month of October since 1998, according to government statistics agency IBGE.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Reuters

 

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UPDATE 1-Brazil awards contracts for 2.98 gigawatts of new power projects

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SAO PAULO, Oct 18 (Reuters) – The Brazilian government awarded on Friday contracts for companies to build new power generation installations with combined capacity of 2.98 gigawatts, that will cost about 11.16 billion reais ($2.71 billion) to be built.

According to the power trading chamber CCEE, the new plants, which will need to be operational in six years, will sell energy for an average price of 176 reais per megawatt, a 33% discount over the initial price at the auction.

By Luciano Costa via Yahoo Finance

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Brazil Banking Giant’s Share Sale Raises $1.4 Billion

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(Bloomberg) — Banco do Brasil SA, Latin America’s biggest lender by assets, and a government-managed fund raised 5.8 billion reais ($1.4 billion) by selling shares of the state-owned bank, another step in Brazil’s effort to shrink the size of the state.

Shares of the company rose to a three-week high after the deal, which priced 132.5 million shares at 44.05 reais apiece, according to a regulatory filing. A little over half of the shares were sold by a Brazilian workers’ investment fund known as FI-FGTS, managed by another state-controlled bank, Caixa Economica Federal. The rest was sold by Banco do Brasil itself, which held some of its own shares through its treasury desk.

By Vinícius Andrade, Felipe Marques, Rachel Gamarski and Cristiane Lucchesi via Yahoo Finance

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China’s State Grid mulls participating in Eletrobras’ privatization in Brazil: CEO

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RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Chinese power company State Grid is considering participating in the privatization of Brazilian state-run energy firm Eletrobras SA (ELET6.SA), Brazil Chief Executive Chang Zhongjiao said on Thursday.

“About Eletrobras there is no detailed information, if it is in accordance to our expansion plan, why not?” he told journalists in Rio de Janeiro.

 

By Rodrigo Via Gaier via Reuters

 

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After trade talks in U.S., China ramps up Brazilian soy purchases

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CHICAGO/BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese importers have been busy booking fresh purchases of soybeans from Brazil this week, despite the White House announcement that China had agreed to buy up to $50 billion of U.S. farm products annually during trade talks last week.

Two traders said China has booked at least eight boatloads, or 480,000 tonnes worth $173 million, of Brazilian soybeans since Monday.

 

By Karl Plume and Hallie Gu via Reuters

 

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Explainer: Translating TOR – How Brazil’s $26 billion oil rights auction works

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RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Brazil’s Senate passed the main text of a bill late on Tuesday defining the distribution of proceeds from a blockbuster auction of oil prospecting rights, a key milestone for the enormous offshore region known as TOR – the ‘transfer-of-rights’ area.

The bidders who win exploration and production rights in the massive Nov. 6 auction will be obliged to pay the government a combined signing bonus of some 106.5 billion reais ($25.8 billion), making it the largest oil bidding round in history, according to Brazilian authorities.

By Gram Slattery and Marta Nogueira via Yahoo Finance

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Brazilian unicorn Ebanx will hit $2 billion in payments processed by the end of the year

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Ebanx, the newly minted Brazilian financial services unicorn, expects to process $2 billion in payments by the end of the year and is looking to expand its offerings into domestic payments as it grows.

Since its launch in 2012, Ebanx has primarily focused on helping international merchants sell locally in Brazil. The Brazilian business accounts for nearly 90% of the company’s revenue, but as it expands into other markets the company is also broadening its suite of services.

 

By Jonathan Shieber via Tech Crunch

 

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Uber To Team With Brazil’s Banco Inter For Financial Services

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A source has revealed that Brazilian lender Banco Inter SA is currently in discussions with Uber about partnering in financial services.

The move is another move by Japan’s SoftBank Group — which is a shareholder in Uber — to integrate its business in Latin America. While the source wouldn’t comment on the terms of a possible deal, it would target the rideshare giant’s drivers and Banco’s more than 3 million clients. Brazil is now Uber’s largest market outside the United States, with São Paulo boasting more Uber rides than any other city in the world.

 

By Pymnts

 

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Brazil’s truckmakers are optimistic again even as country struggles to grow

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazil’s largest truckmakers are expressing optimism again about the growth prospects for Latin America’s largest economy, even as the country continues to struggle to rebound from a deep recession that began in 2015.

“We are breathing optimism,” said Martin Lundstedt, Volvo Group’s President and CEO (VOLVb.ST), who traveled to Sao Paulo to take part in the biennial Fenatran expo, the largest truck and machinery trade show in the country.

 

By Marcelo Rochabrun via Reuters

 

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Brazil Raises Over $2 Billion From Ten Oil Majors In Exploration Rights Auction

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In an encouraging development for Brazil’s offshore oil exploration and production (E&P) sector, a bevy of big industry names queued up for the latest rights on offer agreeing to fork up $2.2 billion.

On Thursday (October 10), the country’s government confirmed that ten companies had agreed to pay the amount for drilling rights in 12 offshore oil blocks, with the country’s pre-salt deposits, i.e. exploration prospects in which billions of barrels of oil are trapped beneath a layer of salt underneath the ocean bed, attracted the most attention.

 

By Gaurav Sharma via Forbes

 

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Brazilian agribusiness should take your AE power vocation, says minister

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The Minister Tereza Cristina (Agriculture, Livestock and Supply) said on Thursday (10) that Brazil is already recognized as an agricultural powerhouse, but has room to continue growing in a sustainable manner. By participating in the Brazil Panel: Sustainable Agricultural Power, during the Investment Forum Brazil 2019 in Sao Paulo, the minister said Brazil wants to move beyond the current 7% share in world trade.

“We are one of the few countries in the world with the capacity to significantly expand the provision of sustainable food. To follow increasing domestic production and minimizing impacts on the environment, the Brazilian government and the private sector need to continue working together, “said the minister, noting that Brazil should effectively assume their global agri-environment power vocation.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Ample flowering seen in Brazil’s top coffee state, rains on the way

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Coffee trees all over Brazil’s top producing state Minas Gerais have bloomed this week, marking the first major flowering for the new Brazilian coffee crop that could indicate the size of next year’s production.

Farmers and analysts shared pictures and videos of their crops, with trees full of flowers or flower buds. Agronomists say a good flowering, ample and uniform, followed by adequate moisture and mild temperatures, could lead to good production.

 

By Marcelo Teixeira via Reuters

 

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Brazil audit court gives green light for pre-salt oil mega auction

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BRASILIA, Oct 9 (Reuters) – Brazil’s Federal Audit Court known as the TCU unanimously approved on Wednesday the ground rules for a major auction of pre-salt oil concessions in a “transfer of rights” (TOR) area off the country’s southeastern coast.

The government expects to raise 106 billion reais ($25.8 billion) from the auction scheduled for Nov. 6, which is expected to attract a range of major global oil companies to tap one of the world’s most promising conventional oil plays.

 

By Gabriel Ponte via Reuters

 

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UPDATE 1-Brazil inflation falls to 2.89%, lowest since May last year

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BRASILIA, Oct 9 (Reuters) – Brazilian consumer price inflation fell to its lowest in more than a year in September, official figures on Wednesday showed, a reading below the central bank’s target that is likely to strengthen expectations of another cut in interest rates.

The benchmark IPCA index of inflation rose 2.89% in the 12 months through September, down from an increase of 3.43% in the previous month, government statistics agency IBGE said on Wednesday.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Reuters

 

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Brazil’s Strategic Expansion in the Indo-Pacific

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As part of its grander geostrategic ambitions, Brazil aims to expand its strategic reach in the Indo-Pacific region. Moving from a regional power in South America to a global player will entail Brasilia extending its influence across the Pacific to the west coast of Africa and eventually around to the wider Indo-Pacific region.

This grand strategic vision has accelerated under the current Brazilian leadership.

 

By Balaji Chandramohan via The Diplomat

 

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Brazil’s central bank drafts bill to modernize foreign exchange market

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BRASILIA, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) — Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday submitted to Congress a bill drafted by the Central Bank of Brazil to modernize the foreign exchange market.

“The objective of the bill is to establish a new, more modern, more concise and legally secure framework for the foreign exchange and capital markets in Brazil and Brazilians abroad,” said the bank in a press release.

 

Via Xinhua

 

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Brazil’s Bolsonaro signs telecoms law to boost sector

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BRASILIA, Oct 4 (Reuters) – President Jair Bolsonaro signed a law modernizing Brazil’s telecommunications regulations on Friday in a move long expected by the industry to allow new investment opportunities and help salvage bankrupt carrier Oi SA .

The law, which took five years to clear Congress, will boost telecom companies by lifting restrictions on sales of their formerly state-owned assets. It will also allow for a secondary market for trading cellphone frequencies.

 

Via Reuters

 

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Brazil services PMI hits six-month high, employment strongest since 2015: IHS Markit

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s services sector activity expanded in September at the fastest pace in six months, a closely watched purchasing managers index survey showed on Thursday, with employment growth in the sector hitting its highest in over five years.

The latest IHS Markit PMI figures suggest Brazil is bucking a global trend consistent with sharply slowing activity and even recession across the United States, Europe and Asia.

 

By Jamie McGeever via KFGO

 

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Amazon.com brings Alexa to Brazil, kicks off pre-orders for devices

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Amazon.com Inc will launch its virtual assistant Alexa in Brazil starting this month, with plans for three different devices with the software installed, as it rapidly expands operations in Latin America’s largest economy.

The move comes only three weeks after the U.S. e-commerce giant introduced its Prime subscription service to Brazilian consumers, toughening the competition with local retailers by offering unlimited nationwide free shipping and a maximum 48-hour delivery time in over 90 municipalities.

 

By Gabriella Mello via Reuters

 

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UPDATE 1-Brazil’s industrial output posts biggest rise in over a year

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BRASILIA, Oct 1 (Reuters) – Industrial production in Brazil rose in August at its fastest pace in more than a year, official figures on Tuesday showed, a sign that Latin America’s largest economy may slowly be turning a corner after flirting with recession earlier in the year.

The recovery may be on an uneven footing, however, as intermediate goods production was the only one of four broad economic categories to grow, and only 10 of the 26 narrower sectors surveyed managed to expand in the month.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Reuters

 

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Brazil’s fintech segment sees growth

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The fintech segment continues to grow in Brazil with most startups focused on B2B offerings, according to a new study.

There are 504 fintechs operating in Brazil across 10 segments currently – this compares to 377 fintechs active in Brazil in 2018, according to the data compiled by Finnovation, a local website that has been monitoring the segment since 2011.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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BRIC countries reaffirm commitment to innovation and sustainability in agriculture

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At the end of the 9th Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture of BRICS held in Bonito (MS), on Thursday (26), representatives of the five countries signed the Nice Charter, with 27 items that reaffirm commitment to cooperation in the area agricultural. The ministers said the potential to enhance collaboration in the food production areas, food security and environmental security.

“This can be achieved through good agricultural practices, developing digital agriculture and value chains for better agricultural marketing and improvement of income for farmers,” says the letter, which deals with issues such as innovation, industry communication, startups, trade facilitation, scientific principles, regionalization and sustainability.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Latin America roundup: SoftBank bets on Brazilian unicorns and Konfio raises $250M for lending plans

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SoftBank  did not let up the flow of capital to Brazil this month, staying busy despite the WeWork debacle. With two more $100 million-plus rounds in QuintoAndar and MadeiraMadeira, the Japanese investor has funded at least one more unicorn in the Brazilian ecosystem. Their investments in Brazil from the past two months alone far outstrip Latin America’s venture capital funding in all of 2016.

In early September, SoftBank backed QuintoAndar  for a $250 million Series D round alongside Dragoneer, General Atlantic and Kaszek Ventures, which recently made headlines for raising $600 million to invest in Latin America. QuintoAndar is a real estate rental startup that simplifies the process of locating and renting an apartment in Brazil. Although the startup only has 2% of the rentals market share in Brazil, QuintoAndar’s  tech solution enabled them to scale rapidly, beating out traditional incumbents in the region’s bureaucratic rental structure.

 

By Sophia Wood via Tech Crunch

 

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Embrapa increasingly seeking resources in the private sector

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In an exclusive interview to the entry portal Uagro / DATAGRO, this Monday (23), at the International Congress of Wheat Industry in Campinas (SP), the president of Embrapa, Celso Moretti said the search body reduce dependence the budget of the National Treasury, looking increasingly tailor agreements with the private sector, resulting in new resources for agricultural research.

In this sense, Moretti said he saw very much welcome the approval of the Economic Affairs Committee (CAE) of the Senate’s bill, which includes between the resources of Embrapa those from the licensing for commercial exploitation of technologies, products, services and brand use rights.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Tech-Education Unicorn Turns Brazil Family Into Billionaires

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(Bloomberg) — Ari de Sa Cavalcante Neto was spending so much time away from home selling his firm’s shares to U.S. investors that he felt he owed his seven-year-old daughter an explanation.

“I told her I had entered a very long competition and, if I won, I’d bring home a unicorn,” Cavalcante, chief executive officer of Brazil’s Arco Platform Ltd., told a group of entrepreneurs earlier this year.

By Felipe Marques, Cristiane Lucchesi and Vinicius Andrade via Yahoo Finance

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Brazil’s central bank takes ‘hands off’ approach to FX, focuses on growth

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Seven months into the presidency of Roberto Campos Neto, Brazil’s central bank has implemented a quiet revolution in its monetary policy, with the former trader showing a willingness to tolerate a weaker currency.

In selling international reserves for the first time in 10 years to meet demand for dollars, while slashing interest rates to new lows to revive growth, the blue water between monetary and exchange rate policy is becoming ever clearer, analysts say.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Reuters

 

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COFCO to invest more in Brazil, but will be selective, says exec

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Chinese state-owned commodities trader COFCO INTL [CNCOF.UL] plans to continue to invest in Brazil in the near future after having quickly achieved a significant position in the local commodities market, but will be very selective in choosing next targets.

COFCO sources and trades grains, oilseeds, sugar, coffee and cotton in Brazil, where it hosts most of its 36 Latin American warehouses, eight food processing plants and 10 port terminals.

 

By Marcelo Teixeira and Roberto Samora via Reuters

 

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Specialty coffees: Brazilian exporters closed $ 2.1 million in business in Japan

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The Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA) and the Brazilian Agency for Export and Investment Promotion (Apex-Brazil) organized the participation of Brazilian companies in the main fair of specialty coffee Asia, SCAJ World Specialty Coffee Conference and Exhibition 2019 held between 11 and 13 September in Japan.

In the three-day event, 21 members of the Association conducted 395 business contacts with potential buyers from Japan, China, Taiwan, UK, Netherlands, South Korea, Malaysia, England and the United States have closed $ 2.1 million in business. For the next 12 months, they predict also the realization of over US $ 9.47 million.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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The Latin American expansion for the Canadian storytelling startup, led by CEO Allen Lau, follows partnerships in Europe and Asia.

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Canadian storytelling app Wattpad is headed to Brazil, South America’s biggest media market, after signing a development and production deal with indie studio Wise Entertainment.

The agreement hands Wise Entertainment, which has offices in Los Angeles and New York City, the exclusive first-look rights to develop Wattpad stories into Portuguese-language film and TV projects for global distribution.

 

By Allen Lau via The Hollywood Reporter

 

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JPMorgan Seeks a Piece of Brazil’s Flourishing Local Bond Sales

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(Bloomberg) — JPMorgan Chase & Co. is expanding its Brazil fixed-income business to include local bonds as issuance hits a record amid record-low interest rates and optimism about President Jair Bolsonaro’s economic reforms.

The bank started working with corporate clients earlier this year to manage their sales of bonds denominated in reais, according to Lucianna Lorenzo, the head of international and local debt capital markets at JPMorgan in Brazil.

 

By Pablo Gonzalez via Yahoo News

 

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Japan’s SoftBank Contemplates Investment In Brazil

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“We have around 40 companies that fit in Brazil,” the group’s head in Brazil, André Maciel, told the news outlet during an event at Cubo, a technological hub funded by Itaú Unibanco, the largest private bank in Latin America.

 

Via PYMNTS

 

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Biogas Makes Pig Farming More Sustainable in Southern Brazil

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ENTRE RIOS DO OESTE, Brasil, Sep 20 2019 (IPS) – Biogas has the potential to provide 36 percent of the electricity consumed in Brazil or replace 70 percent of diesel if purified as biomethane, according to the Brazilian Association of Biogas and Biomethane (Abiogas).

This new source of energy is only recently gaining a foothold in this country, especially in the agricultural south. Its future is promising in an agro-diverse Brazil, which is the world’s largest producer or exporter of sugar, coffee, meat and soybeans.

 

By Mario Osava via IPS News

 

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Brazil’s Oi in talks to sell mobile unit to Telecom Italia, Telefonica -sources

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SAO PAULO, Sept 19 (Reuters) – Brazilian telecommunications firm Oi SA is in talks with Spain’s Telefonica SA and Italy’s Telecom Italia SpA to sell its mobile network to avoid insolvency, five people with knowledge of the matter said.

Oi has been struggling to turn around its business since filing for bankruptcy protection in June 2016 to restructure approximately 65 billion reais of debt.

 

By Carolina Mandl and Gabriela Mello

 

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How Brazil Could Tame Taxes Without Cutting Them

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Brazil is known for its complex business environment, and its byzantine tax system is a big reason why. According to the World Bank’s Doing Business rankings, Brazil is the world’s seventh-worst place to have to pay taxes, roughly on par with the Republic of Congo and Bolivia. President Jair Bolsonaro’s government, continuing to tackle some of the most vexing issues facing Latin America’s largest economy, hopes to simplify taxes for both business and ordinary citizens, a goal that eluded prior heads of state.

 

By Rachel Gamarski via Bloomberg

 

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Brazil wants more visibility into cryptocurrency trades

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Over the past few months, there has been some movement in the Brazilian political sphere which seems to be targeting increased transparency and auditability for cryptocurrency transactions.

New regulation has been approved that requires users to disclose more information about their cryptocurrency trades, and businesses are now required to register their holdings as well. Taxes have also been clarified and new measures are being discussed which could add additional taxes to any crypto-to-fiat trading.

By Pedro Febrero via Yahoo Finance

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Toyota to expand plant in Brazil’s Sao Paulo state, joining Volkswagen, GM

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T> on Thursday announced a 1 billion reais ($243.29 million) expansion at a plant in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, joining Volkswagen and General Motors in new investments in the region.

Toyota said the funding would allow the Sorocaba plant, which builds the Etios and Yaris sedan models, to produce a new vehicle model. It did not provide details on the new model.

By Marcelo Rochabrun via Yahoo Finance

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Oil price spike set to improve ethanol outlook in Brazil

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SAO PAULO, Sept 17 (Reuters) – A spike in oil prices following recent attacks on facilities in Saudi Arabia is expected to boost an already positive outlook for ethanol in Brazil, according to analysts and industry representatives, further relegating sugar to the background for mills that largely process ethanol.

If higher oil prices lead to increased gasoline prices in Brazil, ethanol would keep its price advantage over the fossil fuel at the pumps, potentially leading to strong demand and good profit margins for cane mills, market participants said.

 

By Marcelo Teixeira via Nasdaq

 

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Minister of Agriculture is negotiating an increase in exports to Saudi Arabia

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The Minister Tereza Cristina (Agriculture, Livestock and Supply) began on Monday (16) the datebook in Saudi Arabia, the second destination of the mission to the Middle East. The first engagement was a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Mansour bin Hilal Al Mushaiti. The two discussed bilateral technical cooperation in agriculture.

The minister also spoke of exports to the Arab country. Major importers of chicken and beef, Saudi Arabia expressed interest in the marketing of fodder for animal feed produced in Brazil.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Safe water from solar power in Brazil

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Twenty-one-year-old Brazilian Anna Luisa Baserra always wanted to be a scientist. From washing liquid to shampoo, no household item escaped the potential for becoming the next scientific experiment.

“I used to play with my cousins, trying to make chemical compounds from any liquids we could find, mixing them up and pretending to be professional scientists,” she recalls.

 

By Lis Mullin Bernhardt via UN Environment

 

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Ex-Tesla Executive Decamps to Brazil and Bets Big on Batteries

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Marco Krapels left Tesla Inc. and started a battery company in a place that’s a hemisphere away from California’s rarefied clean-energy scene: Brazil.

Krapels, Tesla’s former vice president for international expansion of solar and storage, now runs Sao Paulo-based MicroPower-Comerc. The company, backed by Siemens AG, is pushing to use big mobile batteries to wean Latin America’s largest economy off oil-fired generators during blackouts.

 

By Laura Millan Lombrana via Bloomberg

 

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Virgin Atlantic opens up Brazil with GOL codeshare

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Virgin Atlantic and GOL are opening up Brazil with a codeshare agreement that will allow passengers on the UK airline’s forthcoming London-Sao Paolo service to connect to 37 destinations.

GOL is Brazil’s biggest domestic carrier and connections will include leisure favorites such as surf hotspot Florianopolis, Amazon jungle launchpad Manaus and the pristine coastline of Recife.

 

By Steve Creedy via AirlineRatings

 

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Brazil development bank BNDES mulls strategy for Petrobras, Vale asset sales -sources

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept 12 (Reuters) – Brazil’s development bank BNDES is mulling strategies to sell its stakes in listed companies such as state-controlled oil company Petrobras SA , two sources with knowledge of the matter said on Thursday.

As discussions are still ongoing, BNDES may start divestments only next year, the sources added.

By Rodrigo Viga Gaier via Yahoo Finance

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Amazon Announces the Launch of Amazon Music for Brazil, Bringing Customers Access to Millions of Songs, On-Demand and Ad-Free

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(AMZN) — Amazon today announces the launch of Amazon Music for Brazil, bringing customers millions of songs and thousands of playlists and stations ad-free, with two music streaming tiers. Beginning today, customers can access Amazon Music Unlimited, the premium music streaming tier with unlimited access to more than 50 million songs, including chart-topping releases from Brazilian and International artists including Pabllo Vittar, Post Malone, Ivete Sangalo, Billie Eilish, Gustavo Mioto and many more, along with locally curated playlists and stations, developed specifically for today’s music fan in Brazil. This follows Tuesday’s launch of Amazon Prime in Brazil, offering members a selection of more than two million songs at no additional cost to their Prime membership. Customers can learn more about Amazon Music, and begin a three-month free trial for the Unlimited tier today at amazon.com.br/music.

 

Via Yahoo Finance

 

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UPDATE 1-Brazil services activity in July rises at fastest pace this year

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BRASILIA, Sept 12 (Reuters) – Brazil’s services sector grew in July at its fastest pace this year, official figures showed on Thursday, another indication that Latin American’s largest economy started the third quarter on a solid footing.

A day after figures showed retail sales posting their biggest rise of the year in July, government statistics agency IBGE said service sector activity climbed 0.8% in the month and 1.8% on the year, both smashing forecasts.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Reuters

 

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UPDATE 3-Brazil Senate passes telecoms modernization bill

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BRASILIA, Sept 12 (Reuters) – The Brazilian Senate late on Wednesday approved a bill that will modernize Brazil’s telecommunications law and boost companies in the sector by lifting restrictions on asset sales, according to the upper house’s news service, Agencia Senado.

The bill, known as PLC 79, had already passed the lower house of Congress and will now go to President Jair Bolsonaro to be signed into law.

By Anthony Boadle via Yahoo Finance

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Brazil’s Newest Unicorn: QuintoAndar Raises $250M Series D Led By SoftBank

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Sao Paulo-based real estate startup QuintoAndar has raised a $250 million Series D in a round that is considered massive by U.S. standards but is positively gargantuan in Brazil. The round takes the company “to unicorn status,” according to CEO Gabriel Braga, although he would not disclose its exact valuation.

SoftBank Group International led the round, which also included participation from another new investor Dragoneer as well as existing backers General Atlantic and Kaszek Ventures. The financing brings the six-year-old company’s total raised to over $335 million, according to its Crunchbase profile, and comes just nine months after its $70 million Series C.

 

By Mary Ann Azevedo via CrunchBase News

 

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New digital technologies help field production

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Use a sensor to predict whether it will rain on a property and thus identify the best time to apply a crop protection product. Have equipment on a tractor that monitors whether it stops or breaks to allow for quick maintenance. Insert small appliances into the soil to have indicators for planting, such as moisture level. These are some of the applications of the so-called Internet of Things (IoT) that are beginning to be implemented in projects in the field, according to “Agência Brasil”.

Internet of Things (IoT) is a name given to a set of technologies that enable more efficient real-time, multi-area monitoring through multi-purpose machine-to-machine communication dynamics. , such as increasing the ability to monitor and control a given activity, as in the examples above.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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UPDATE 2-Brazil, Mexico begin trade talks amid Bolsonaro push for export deals

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SAO PAULO, Sept 9 (Reuters) – Brazil and Mexico have begun talks on a free trade deal, a Brazilian official said on Monday, seeking to deepen commercial ties between the two largest economies in Latin America as trade tensions threaten to undermine global growth.

Marcos Troyjo, Brazil’s deputy economy minister for foreign trade, said Brazil had formally started free trade talks with Mexico, which recently ratified a new trade pact with the United States and Canada to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

 

By Ana Mano via Successful Farming

 

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Amazon.com brings Prime service to Brazil; local retail shares drop

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Amazon.com Inc said on Tuesday it will launch its Prime subscription service in Brazil, where it has struggled against tough local competition in Latin America’s largest economy.

Shares in Brazilian retailers tumbled after Amazon announced it is offering Prime subscribers unlimited nationwide free shipping and a maximum 48-hour delivery time in over 90 municipalities for goods ranging from clothes to electronics.

By Aluisio Alves via Yahoo Finance

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Brazil Aug inflation limited, reinforcing rate cut bets

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BRASILIA, Sept 6 (Reuters) – Consumer price inflation in Brazil was well contained in August, as forecast, reinforcing expectations of deeper interest rate cuts by the central bank as it tries to fire up economic growth.

Prices measured by the benchmark IPCA index , rose 0.11% in August, government statistics agency IBGE said on Friday, in line with forecasts in a Reuters poll.

 

Via Nasdaq

 

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Norway’s Statkraft looks to expand in Brazil’s renewables: executive

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Norway’s power generator Statkraft AS [STATKF.UL] plans to sharply increase its capacity to produce renewable energy in Brazil in the next four to five years, the head of the Brazilian unit, Fernando de Lapuerta, told Reuters.

The company is looking to acquire some Brazilian projects and also plans to take part in coming rounds where the government awards licenses for construction of new power plants, the executive said in an interview on Tuesday.

 

By Luciano Costa via Reuters

 

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Mobile devices prevail in banking transactions in Brazil

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Mobile devices were the main channel used by Brazilians to transact with their banking institutions in 2018, according to data from the Brazilian Central Bank (BC).

Some 29 billion transactions were completed through smartphones and tablets last year, up 18.4 percent on 2017. This builds on a trend that emerged in Brazil last year, when mobile devices surpassed other remote channels such as Internet banking.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Awakening The Sleeping Giant: Why Brazil’s Tech Scene Is One To Watch

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“Brazil is the country of the future” was a familiar phrase for many years – or as we say in Portuguese – “Brasil, país do futuro”. For tech startups, that future is now. The country is showing signs that the sleeping giant is finally waking up and moving towards its tipping point.

In 2010, I founded an organization called Brazil Innovators, a network that gave innovators and ecosystem builders direct access to Silicon Valley. When I launched, the venture capital community was very small, but it was clear that Brazil was producing great minds and future talent.

 

By Bedy Yang via Forbes

 

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Brazil is the world’s largest sustainable certified soy producer

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Data from 2018 from the International Responsible Soy Association (RTRS) show that 4.5 million tons of oilseed were certified and made available to the market last year on over 1.2 million hectares. Compared to 2017, there was an increase of 500 thousand tons.

Increasing demand for responsible soy is one of the main incentives for producers to further extend certification of their properties.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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IBM plans Brazil cloud expansion

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IBM plans to spread its cloud computing load across multiple data centers in Brazil, by building a “multizone” region there.

With just one data center in São Paulo, Brazil, it has promised it will extend that next year to a multizone region, where customers who put servers in one of its data centers have them replicated automatically across numerous other data centers in the same region.

 

By Peter Judge and Mark Ballard via Data Center Dynamics

 

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Trade balance surplus reaches $ 3,284 billion in August

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The Brazilian trade balance registered a surplus of US $ 3.284 billion in August, up 23.7% from the same month last year, which was US $ 2.775 billion. The data were released by the Special Secretariat of Foreign Trade and International Affairs of the Ministry of Economy (Secint / ME) on Monday (02).

“It is the largest surplus for August since 2017,” said Undersecretary of Intelligence and Foreign Trade Statistics, Herlon Brandão, at a press conference held at the Ministry of Economy, in Brasilia (DF), to comment on the numbers. From January to August, the surplus reaches US $ 31.759 billion.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Volkswagen to invest $577 million in Brazil plant

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SAO PAULO — Volkswagen will invest 2.4 billion reais ($577 million) in one of its Brazil factories, Sao Paulo state governor Joao Doria said on Thursday during a visit to the automaker’s headquarters in Germany.

Sao Paulo state is the heart of Brazil’s auto industry, although its relevance has been in decline in recent years as other states have offered more generous tax incentives.

 

Via Automotive News Europe

 

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Brazil sets sights on China’s ethanol market, but high volumes unlikely

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazil’s ethanol industry is looking to grab a chunk of China’s ethanol market as the Asian nation targets a 10% blend in gasoline to improve air quality, but a short-term jump in exports is unlikely, according to people following the matter.

China wants to add 10% of ethanol to all gasoline used in the country by 2020, a policy that could sharply boost the country’s ethanol market and potentially increase imports, since local production capacity is too small to meet the target.

 

By Marcelo Teixeira via WSAU

 

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Brazil beats expectations with 0.4 per cent expansion

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Brazil avoided falling into recession on Thursday with the release of new economic data showing South America’s largest economy grew by 0.4 per cent quarter-on-quarter in the three months to June, a better than expected performance. The figures showed that Brazil’s economy moved back into expansion after shrinking by 0.2 per cent in the first quarter, and its performance was better than analysts had expected; economists polled by Reuters had forecast 0.2 per cent growth.

The figures showed that Brazil’s economy moved back into expansion after shrinking by 0.2 per cent in the first quarter, and its performance was better than analysts had expected; economists polled by Reuters had forecast 0.2 per cent growth.

 

By Bryan Harris and Andres Schipani via Financial Times

 

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Exclusive: Brazil’s Petrobras refineries sale lures trading companies, PetroChina, Saudi Aramco – sources

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SAO PAULO/RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Brazil’s planned privatization of eight Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PETR4.SA) refineries has lured several of the world’s largest trading and oil companies as prospective bidders, two sources with knowledge of the matter said.

Around 20 companies have signed non-disclosure agreements granting them access to the refineries’ data and signaling that they are considering a bid, the sources added, speaking on condition of anonymity to disclose private details of the sale.

 

By Tatiana Bautzer and Rodrigo Viga Gaier via Reuters

 

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Ministry of Agriculture signs agreement with Banco do Nordeste to finance innovation projects

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The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MPLSa) has signed an agreement with Banco do Nordeste (BNB) to subsidize public and private innovation policies aimed at the sustainable development of agriculture in the Caatinga biome. The partnership will allow the structuring of the Strategic Intelligence, Management and Territorial Monitoring System (SITE), which will gather scientific data from the region.

The agreement was signed on Friday (23) by Minister Tereza Cristina, the president of BNB, Romildo Rolim, the president of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), Celso Moretti, and the Foundation for Support for Research and Development ( Faped).

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Brazil utilities lean on bonds to finance growth, reducing state role

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SAO PAULO, Aug 26 (Reuters) – Brazilian power companies are raising a record amount of debt in local markets this year to finance construction of generation assets and transmission lines.

Tax-exempt local infrastructure bonds have been the main instrument to finance power investment in the country. Power companies have issued 12 billion reais ($2.9 billion) of the local bonds in the first seven months of the year, 83% of the total amount issued across all industries.

 

By Luciano Costa via Reuters

 

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Brazil to Speed Up Privatizations With Billions on the Line

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Brazil is readying a plan to accelerate the sale of state-controlled assets as well as partnerships with private companies, as part of President Jair Bolsonaro’s push to shrink the public sector and spark investments.

The federal government will put state development bank BNDES in charge of organizing and paying for feasibility studies, which are mandatory for asset sales and auctions and are crucial for their success. BNDES will also be able to hire outside consulting companies based on technical capacity and not just price.

 

By Simone Preissler Iglesias via Bloomberg

 

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Brazil and Norway study technical cooperation in the aquaculture sector

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The Secretary of Aquaculture and Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, Jorge Seif Júnior, is in Norway to attend the Aqua Nor 2019 fair, which takes place in Trondheim. According to Seif, Brazil and Norway are studying the possibility of establishing a technical cooperation that facilitates and promotes the development of Brazilian fishery, aquaculture and fishery health.

“It is one of the largest fish producers in the world, with different technology in both fisheries and aquaculture. It has an excellent health defense system, including some of the best laboratories in the world,” says Seif.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Brazil eagerly awaits surge in Asian demand to pig meat

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Brazil’s pig industry is eagerly awaiting the foreseen surge in demand to pig meat from China. Currently, Brazil is not really feeling the effects of the African Swine Fever crisis in Eastern Asia yet. Although prices grew over the first 6 months of 2019 by 70%, in July the prices dropped again by 15.6%.

The main reason for this phenomenon is that prices are still on ‘speculation’ levels and that the demand has not really started increasing. As a result, the generalised expectations of a non-stop increasing margins for Brazilian pig meat and quotes have started to drop.

 

By Daniel Azevedo via Pig Progress

 

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“Silent Revolution” to Fuel Brazil M&A Business for Years

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A “silent revolution” in Brazil will drive the mergers-and-acquisitions business for the next three years as the government privatizes state-owned assets at a pace far exceeding early estimates, according to one of the nation’s top M&A advisers.

“What we’ve seen so far is nothing compared to what’s yet to come,” Ricardo Lacerda, chief executive officer of investment-banking boutique BR Partners, said in an interview in Sao Paulo. “Even assets that are considered crown jewels will end up being sold.”

By Cristiane Luccchesi and Pablo Rosendo Gonzalez via Bloomberg

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Brazil gets moving on gas competition

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Brazil is finally getting serious about loosening the hegemonic grip of Petrobras, the state-owned oil and gas company, on the country’s gas industry, almost ten years since regulatory reforms failed to kickstart greater market competition.

Allowing Petrobras to sell off assets and get out of non-core sectors is central to the government’s natural gas strategy. In July, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro inaugurated the New Gas Market programme, aimed at cutting the domestic price of gas 40pc within two years, guaranteeing participation of new entrants and attracting greater investment to the natural gas sector.

 

By Charles Waine via Petroleum Economist

 

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China Ramps Up Brazil Soybean Imports, Rebuffing U.S. Crops

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China this week put in a large order of Brazilian soybeans as it increasingly turns to the South American nation to fill a supply gap after halting purchases from the U.S., according to people familiar with the situation.

Chinese companies have already bought between 25 to 30 cargoes of soy from Brazil so far this week, which is equivalent to about 1.5 million to 2 million tons, the people said, asking not to be identified as the deals are private. Buyers are looking for more Brazilian supply and still haven’t bought enough to cover their needs through October, the people said.

 

Via Bloomberg

 

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Brazil’s Resultados Digitais Reaffirms Investor Confidence With New Round

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Brazil-based software-as-a-service firm Resultados Digitais (RD) has raised a new investment round led by Riverwood Capital following a “significant shift” in international interest in the country’s tech ecosystem.

The investment of 200 million reais ($50 million) is the company’s fifth funding round and brings it closer to the coveted valuation of $1 billion. The transaction includes the firm’s existing backers TPG Growth, DGF Investimentos, Redpoint eventures, Astella Investimentos and Endeavor Catalyst.

 

By Angelica Mari via Forbes

 

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Chinese demand heats up Brazil’s ethanol industry

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There are 332 million cars on the road in China, more than anywhere in the world. Most run on pure petrol, but from next year Chinese fuel companies will add 10% ethanol, a move that could have far reaching implications for the consumption of fossil fuels.

Brazil’s biofuel industry is the world’s second largest behind the US. In recent years it has suffered from fuel price shocks resulting from shifts in government policy, but it has been buoyed by the enormous potential of the Chinese market.

 

By Sarita Reed and Vinicius Fontana via China Dialogue

 

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UPDATE 1-Brazil’s Banco BTG Pactual reports sharply higher profit on trading gains

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SAO PAULO, Aug 13 (Reuters) – Latin America’s largest independent investment bank, Banco BTG Pactual SA, reported a 50.2% jump in second-quarter recurring profit on Tuesday, as trading and proprietary investment gains increased as well as management fees.

Recurring net income, which excludes one-time items, rose to 1.029 billion reais ($258 million) from 685 million reais a year earlier.

 

By Carolina Mandl via Reuters

 

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First Time to Brazil? Consider a Visit to Salvador.

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Thanks to the Brazilian government waiving the visa requirement for U.S. citizens – and those from Canada, Australia and Japan, too – in June 2019, planning a trip to Brazil has gotten easier. While Rio de Janeiro can first come to mind, perhaps followed by San Paulo, as a destination, there is another city within Brazil that offers much culture and cuisine, and sand and surf. It’s Salvador.

Within Brazil’s northern state of Bahia, Salvador is a coastal destination that is ushering in new developments while maintaining its past. A convention center to be named Antonio Carlos Magalhães is anticipated to open at the end of 2019. This spring, LATAM began offering a new direct flight from Miami to Salvador, departing on Sunday afternoons and returning to Miami early Monday mornings.

 

By Michelle Herrmann via Forbes

 

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How Brazil can prepare for a US trade deal

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When U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross toured Latin America, President Trump hinted to reporters of his main mission: “We’re going to work on a free trade agreement with Brazil.”

Trade agreements that reduce barriers for the exchange of goods, services, and terabytes have the ability to raise incomes and boost opportunities for all countries involved, if they play by the rules.

 

By Philip Thompson via Washington Examiner

 

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Trump says he will seek U.S. trade accord with Brazil

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WASHINGTON/BRASILIA/SAO PAULO (Reuters) – President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he will pursue a U.S. trade agreement with Brazil, suggesting a friendly relationship with President Jair Bolsonaro could help lower trade barriers between the two biggest economies in the Americas.

“We’re going to work on a free trade agreement with Brazil,” Trump told reporters at the White House, without giving details.

 

By Alexandra Alper, Marcela Ayres and Marcelo Rochabrun

 

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UPDATE 2-Brazil brewer Ambev beats Q2 profit forecasts; shares up 9%

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SAO PAULO, July 25 (Reuters) – Brazilian beverages firm Ambev SA on Thursday posted a better-than-expected 8.5% rise in second-quarter net profit, triggering strong gains in its shares.

The Latin American unit of Anheuser Busch InBev said net income reached 2.616 billion reais ($693.42 million), beating a consensus estimate of 2.286 billion reais ($606.58 million) compiled by Refinitiv.

By Gabriela Mello via Yahoo Finance

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Brazil’s fifth-largest city to accept bitcoin payments for public transportation

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Fortaleza, the fifth-largest city in Brazil with a population of about 2.7 million, is set to accept bitcoin (BTC) payments for public transportation by the end of this year.

Local news outlet O Povo reported the news late last week, saying that the Ceara State Co-operative Autonomous Passenger Co-operative (Cootraps) will provide Fortaleza citizens the options to buy bus tickets using bitcoin, credit and debit cards, in addition to the current cash system.

By Yogita Khatri via Yahoo Finance

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Amigos da Poli finalista do Prêmio de Responsabilidade Social oferecido durante o Person of the Year Awards Gala Dinner 2019

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O Amigos da Poli ficou entre os finalistas do Prêmio de Responsabilidade Social oferecido durante o Person of the Year Awards Gala Dinner, premiação que ocorreu no dia 14 de Maio, na cidade de New York.

O evento organizado pela Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce, elegeu o fundo como finalista na categoria Responsabilidade Social, juntamente com a Renovatio/VerBem, Instituto Brasil Solidário e Aliança Empreendedora.

Gostaríamos de parabenizar o Instituto Brasil Solidário e dizer que termos sido nomeados é um orgulho e nos motiva a continuar trabalhando em prol da melhoria do ensino no Brasil.


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CNA presents proposals to BC to stimulate private financing in agribusiness

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The president of the Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (CNA), João Martins, met on Wednesday (24), in Brasilia, with the President of the Central Bank, Roberto Campos Neto, to present the proposals of the entity to stimulate private financing in agro and improving the business environment in the sector. “We need to be at the forefront, always looking to the future,” said Martins during the meeting at Confederation headquarters.

The funding-related agenda focuses on the following fronts: seeking external resources; promoting the development of new products in private banks for the sector; intensification of cooperative action in new markets and financial support to its members; and stimulating the investments of complementary social security funds in agriculture.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Six Charts on Boosting Growth in Brazil

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Brazil’s economic recovery after the 2015−2016 recession remains sluggish. Real per capita growth has fallen by 8 percent since the beginning of the recession in 2014, and poverty and inequality are on the rise. While the unemployment rate did fall this year, it is still high compared to pre-crisis levels.

To boost growth and create more jobs, Brazil needs to vigorously pursue pension and tax reforms, trade openness, investment in infrastructure, and key financial reforms, the IMF stated in its latest annual economic assessment.

 

Via International Monetary Fund

 

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GREENSPOON MARDER EXPANDS CORPORATE & BUSINESS CAPABILITIES WITH ADDITION OF NEW PARTNER MICHAEL SMITH IN NEW YORK

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The firm continues to expand corporate & business capabilities nationwide with the addition of

Nicole Ostrowski and Angela Ramey as senior counsel and Skylar Marshall as associate.

 

New York, NY – July 25, 2019 – Greenspoon Marder is pleased to announce the expansion of the firm’s Corporate & Business practice group with the addition of partner, Michael Smith in New York.

 

“Our firm is committed to providing seamless client service across our national platform. Michael will enhance our corporate team in New York and throughout the U.S., as we continue to strategically grow nationally,” comments Michael Marder, co-managing director at Greenspoon Marder. “Michael’s extensive transactional experience adds a greater range of corporate services to our client offerings,” comments Gerry Greenspoon, co-managing director of Greenspoon Marder.

 

Mr. Smith is an international lawyer with more than 25 years’ experience who advises on international capital markets, cross-border M&A, global fund formation and Shari’ah finance. Mr. Smith has significant experience advising on transactions into and out of the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and China, and regularly counsels boards, senior management and private equity firms on corporate governance, deal structuring and strategy.

 

The firm has continued to expand our corporate & business capabilities nationwide with the addition of senior counsels, Nicole Ostrowski in Los Angeles and Angela Ramey in Miami, and associate, Skylar Marshall in Denver.

 

Ms. Ostrowski is senior counsel in the Corporate & Business Practice Group at Greenspoon Marder LLP. Ms. Ostrowski’s practice focuses on complex corporate transactions, including private equity transactions, strategic organizational structuring, debt financings, securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, venture capital investments, asset purchases, and joint venture arrangements.

 

Ms. Ramey is senior counsel in the Corporate & Business Practice Group at Greenspoon Marder LLP. She focuses her practice on all aspects of secured financing transactions including single lender, syndicated and mezzanine facilities involving cash flow, secured, asset-based, and acquisition facilities.

 

Mr. Marshall is an associate in the Corporate & Business Practice Group at Greenspoon Marder LLP. Mr. Marshall focuses his practice on corporate and commercial transactions. He has experience representing companies ranging from start-ups to multi-national corporations.

 

About Greenspoon Marder

 

Greenspoon Marder is a national full-service business law firm with 240 attorneys and 26 locations across the United States. We are ranked amongst American Lawyer’s Am Law 200, as one of the top law firms in the U.S. since 2015. Since our inception in 1981, our firm has been committed to providing excellent client service through our cross-disciplinary, client-team approach. Our mission is to understand the challenges that our clients face, build collaborative relationships, and craft creative solutions designed and executed with long-term strategic goals in mind. We serve Fortune 500, middle-market public and private companies, start-ups, emerging businesses, individuals and entrepreneurs nationwide.

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Brazil GDP to get 0.35 percentage point boost from worker fund stimulus

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – New measures unveiled by the Brazilian government on Wednesday allowing employees to access cash from worker guarantee funds will be worth 0.35 percentage points to gross domestic product over the next 12 months, the Economy Ministry said on Wednesday.

Freeing up 42 billion reais ($10.6 billion) from the “FGTS” severance fund and more cash from the social contribution fund known as “PIS/Pasep” will also create 3 million jobs and increase GDP per capita by 2.5 percentage points over 10 years, the Ministry added.

 

By Marcela Ayres and Lisandra Paraguassu via Reuters

 

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Brazil Privatizes Fuel Distributor in $2.3 Billion Offering

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Brazilian oil giant Petroleo Brasileiro SA sold down a majority stake in its fuel distribution unit, effectively ending government control over the biggest player in the industry as part of a drive to privatize state-run assets and stoke competition.

The Rio de Janeiro-based energy producer raised 8.6 billion reais ($2.27 billion) selling shares in Petrobras Distribuidora SA, reducing its position to 41% from 71%, according to a regulatory filing. It’s Latin America’s biggest equity offering this year, topping the $1.98 billion sale of shares in reinsurer IRB Brasil Resseguros SA earlier this month.

 

By Sabrina Valle, Vinicius Andrade and Felipe Marques via Bloomberg

 

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Trade balance has surplus of US $ 409 million in the 3rd. july week

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The Brazilian trade balance registered a surplus of US $ 409 million in the third week of July, according to a survey released on Monday (22) by the Ministry of Economy. The positive balance is the result of US $ 4.829 billion in exports and US $ 4.420 billion in imports, according to data from the Foreign Trade Secretariat.

In the month, exports total US $ 13.550 billion and imports reach US $ 11.367 billion, with a positive balance of US $ 2.182 billion. Year-to-date exports totaled $ 123.392 billion, with imports of $ 95.134 billion and a positive balance of $ 28.258 billion.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Governador destaca potencial do Estado no Paraná Day em Nova York

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O governador Carlos Massa Ratinho Junior apresentou nesta quarta-feira (17) oportunidades que o Estado oferece a um grupo de executivos de corporações internacionais que mantêm investimentos globais. A apresentação foi na Câmara de Comércio Brasil-EUA, em Nova York, que recebeu a terceira edição do Paraná Day.

Durante a abertura do evento, na principal palestra do Paraná Day, Ratinho Junior falou de concessões na área de infraestrutura, principalmente de rodovias, ferrovias e aeroportos, e também de Parcerias Público-Privadas (PPPs) em setores como turismo, segurança e saúde. Além disso, ressaltou o ambiente propício para negócios que tornam o Paraná um Estado atrativo.

 

Via Agência de Notícias do Paraná

 

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Entrepreneurs deliver mail in Brazil`s biggest favela

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Delivering mail in Rio de Janeiro’s slums – or ‘favelas’ as they are known in Brazil – is harder than one can imagine. They are informal neighborhoods that the government has never mapped. But a group of entrepreneurs found an ingenious solution to provide this key basic service.

Located in Rio de Janeiro’s south zone, Rocinha is considered Brazil’s biggest favela, with a population of around 70,000 people, but it could be much higher, depending on who did the counting.

 

By Lucrecia Franco via CGTN America

 

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Ministry of Mines and Energy of Brazil authorizes the transfer of 10% stake in Saturno block to Ecopetrol

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BOGOTÁ, Colombia , July 18, 2019 /CNW/ — Ecopetrol S.A. (BVC: ECOPETROL; NYSE: EC) reports that the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Brazil has authorized the transfer of a 10% stake in the Saturno block, located in the Santos basin, to its subsidiary, Ecopetrol Óleo e Gas Brasil. Previously, this percentage was equally held by Shell Brasil Petróleo Ltda and Chevron Brasil Óleo e Gas Ltda.

Renewable capacity in Brazil to exceed 60GW in 2030 in Brazil, says GlobalData

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Renewables (excluding hydropower) are expected to reach 60.8GW capacity in 2030 registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4%, according to analysts GlobalData.

The company’s latest report ‘Brazil Power Market Outlook to 2030, Update 2019 – Market Trends, Regulations, and Competitive Landscape’ reveals that, installed renewable capacity in Brazil increased from 2.9 Gigawatt (GW) in 2000 to 31.1GW in 2018, at a CAGR of 14%.

 

By Global Data Energy via Power Technology

 

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Canadian Solar Won a 51 MWp Solar Power Project in Brazil

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GUELPH, Ontario, July 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Canadian Solar Inc. (the “Company”, or “Canadian Solar”) (CSIQ), one of the world’s largest solar power companies, today announced it has been awarded a 51.1 MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) project in the Sixth Brazilian Federal Energy Auction (A-4) held on June 28, 2019.

Canadian Solar will develop and build the project located in the State of Minas Gerais. Construction of the solar project will start in early 2021 and it is expected to reach commercial operation before January 2023.

Via Yahoo Finance

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Ethanol to be central issue in India-Brazil meeting – industry group

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazil and India are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding on production and trade of ethanol when leaders of the two countries meet in Brasilia later this year, an industry group said on Tuesday.

According to UDOP, a Brazilian association of sugar and ethanol producers, the suggestion to discuss a partnership on ethanol came from the Indian government, which has a target to gradually increase blending of ethanol to gasoline to up to 20%.

By Marcelo Teixeira via Yahoo Finance

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Brazil plan to open gas sector seen luring Naturgy, Engie, others

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SAO PAULO, July 15 (Reuters) – Recently announced plans to foster competition in the Brazilian natural gas market may trigger a wave of privatizations among state-controlled distribution companies, luring international and domestic bidders, experts on the sector say.

Brazil’s Cosan SA and Spain’s Naturgy Energy Group SA, are among the companies potentially interested in the segment, which also include Portugal’s Galp , France’s Engie and Spain’s Repsol , consultants, lawyers and other experts said.

By Luciano Costa via Yahoo Finance

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Brazil’s Soybean Lead Over the U.S. Gets Boost From Amazon Ports

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Brazil, the biggest soybean exporter, is strengthening its lead against the U.S. after trading giants spent billions of dollars on building new terminals and developing routes to ports in the north through the Amazon region.

“Brazil’s northern ports are allowing the country to export big volumes of grain without the historical loading delays or vessel queues,” said Sergio Mendes, general director at the grain-export group Anec. “Traders are shipping through the north the same soybean volumes they usually export from Santos, Latin America’s largest port,” in the south, he said. “This is a huge conquest.”

 

By Tatiana Freitas via Bloomberg

 

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Brazil’s High-Flying Stocks May Gain Altitude as Rates Decline

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Brazilian stocks have extended their year-to-date gain to about 20% on renewed optimism that Latin America’s largest economy will finally overhaul its heavily indebted social security system. But the rally that has pushed the market to record highs still may have some juice left.

The benchmark Ibovespa index may climb 11% from current levels to about 115,000 by the end of 2019, according to the average forecast of 10 strategists surveyed by Bloomberg. Their targets range from 105,000 to 123,000, implying an increase of as much as 18%. That would mark the fourth year of double-digit gains for Brazilian stocks.

 

By Vinicius Andrade via Bloomberg

 

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Brazilian State Launches Blockchain Platform for Government Contract Bids

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In Brazil, the state of Bahia has launched a blockchain application to track the process of public bidding on government contracts, according to a report by Cointelegraph Brazil on July 12.

The blockchain-based solution, called Online Bid Solution (SOL), was reportedly developed by Cayenne Technology and Design. Bids will reportedly be completely transparent and secure due with the application of blockchain tech.

 

By Max Boddy via Cointelegraph

 

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UPDATE 2-Brazil power firm Light confirms price offering at 18.75 reais per share

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SAO PAULO, July 11 (Reuters) – Brazilian power company Light SA priced its shares at 18.75 reais ($4.99) per share in a primary and secondary offering that raised 2.5 billion reais ($665.57 million), the company said in a securities filing on Friday.

The offering will increase Light’s capital stock to 4.1 billion reais ($1.1 billion), and the company will use proceeds from the sale to reduce debt, it said.

By Carolina Mandl via Yahoo Finance

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MercadoLibre Optimistic on Brazil Economy After 2018 Hurdles

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Latin America’s largest e-commerce retailer is optimistic that economic growth is set to pick up in Brazil, its biggest market.

MercadoLibre Inc. expects a turnaround in the country, Chief Executive Officer Marcos Galperin said in an interview with Bloomberg Television, rejecting the views of economists who have slashed their forecasts for the region’s biggest economy. The retailer’s profitability was hurt last year after postal service Correios hiked freight fees, adding to woes caused by a trucker strike that paralyzed the country for 10 days.

 

By Carolina Millan and Paul T. Sweeney

 

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Crypto Coffee Coin Is Coming to Brazil’s Countryside Farmers

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Coffee farmers in Brazil’s countryside could be soon be using cryptocurrency for their day-to-day needs.

A major arabica-bean cooperative, Minasul, is planning to this month launch a blockchain-based digital coin that will be backed by coffee supplies. Farmer members will be able to use the “coffeecoin” to buy fertilizer, machinery and other non-farm products, including cars and food, Jose Marcos Magalhaes, Minasul’s president, said in an interview during the Global Coffee Forum in Campinas, Sao Paulo state.

 

By Fabiana Batista via Bloomberg

 

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For Wall Street, Brazil Is Back, Baby!

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Brazil is on a tear lately. Its Bovespa Index is the beating all of the emerging markets. It’s besting China. It’s besting Trump’s super-duper stock market here at home. It’s all thanks to a once unpopular pension reform bill, which saw tens of thousands rally late last month in support of the new president’s push to overhaul Brazil’s teetering public pension system.

Over the last month, the iShares MSCI Brazil (EWZ) has gained 7.5% versus just 2.24% for the benchmark MSCI Emerging Markets Index. If you had put $10,000 in that Brazil ETF last Fourth of July weekend you’d have $3,700 extra for summer play money as your 12-month gain.

 

By Kenneth Rapoza via Forbes

 

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Latin America and the Caribbean will account for more than 25% of global agricultural exports by 2028, says FAO

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By 2028, Latin America and the Caribbean will account for more than 25% of global exports of agricultural and fishery products, according to a new report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The publication highlights the expansion of regional protagonism in the midst of the slowdown in world production and trade.

According to the Agricultural Outlook 2019-2028 survey, over the next ten years, global demand for agricultural goods is expected to increase by 15%. On average, trade in agricultural and fishery commodities is expected to rise 1.3% per year in the period under review. Despite the growth estimate, the index is lower than the 3.3% annual average for the 2009-2018 decade.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Brazil to add digital data protection to fundamental rights

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The Brazilian Senate has approved a proposal to add protection of data in digital platforms to the list of fundamental rights and individual citizen guarantees set out in the country’s constitution.

According to senator Simone Tebet, rapporteur of the proposal – which will now be voted by the lower house of the National Congress – the federal government should be responsible for legislation. She noted that adding the topic to the constitution demonstrates central government recognizes the importance of the topic.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZDNet

 

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Brazil Requires New Diplomats to Know About Blockchain and Crypto

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The Brazilian diplomatic academy, the Rio Branco Institute, will now require that candidates have knowledge of cryptocurrencies and blockchain, Cointelegraph Brazil reported on July 8.

The Rio Branco Institute — established in 1945 and offering two advancement courses for diplomats — has published the 2019 edict for the selection of new diplomats in Brazil where it included the requirement that candidates know about blockchain and digital currencies.

 

By Ana Alexandre via Cointelegraph

 

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Mercosur-EU agreement to modernize Brazilian agriculture, says Tereza Cristina

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The agreement between Mercosur and the European Union will modernize and increase the competitiveness of Brazilian agriculture. The evaluation was made by the Minister of Agriculture, Tereza Cristina, during a press interview. At the time, she said the agreement will allow the country’s products to become more attractive and reach a market of approximately 700 million people.

“It will bring to Brazil a quest for more quality and competitiveness to access this market, which is a market accessed by countries such as Canada, Korea. Brazil will be on an equal footing,” said the minister.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Brazil should close four more trade agreements this year, says foreign minister

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The announcement of the closure of the Mercosur-European Union agreement will provoke the emergence of a “negotiating appetite” from other nations in favor of investments in Brazil or in association with the South American bloc, the Brazilian chancellor Ernesto Araújo, informs the “Agência Brasil”.

“We are very close to an agreement with the EFTA (Free Trade Association composed of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) and with Canada, perhaps in the second half of 2019,” said Araújo. According to him, the closure of a Mercosur agreement with Singapore and South Korea is also close.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Brazil posts new world record low price for solar power

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A new world record low price for solar power generation has been achieved in Brazil, where the government’s latest renewables auction saw contracts for six solar PV projects awarded at an average of just 1.65 cents per kilowatt hour.

Brazil’s regulator Agencia Nacional de Energía Eléctrica (ANEEL) announced the latest auction results on Friday, confirming a total of 401.6MW of electricity capacity has been contracted across 15 projects with supply slated to start in January 2023. The successful bids include five hydroelectric plants, one biomass thermal facility, and three wind farms.

 

By Michael Holder via BusinessGreen

 

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Brazil Once Again Becomes the World’s Largest Beef Exporter

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In 2018, Brazil was the world’s largest exporter of beef, providing close to 20 percent of total global beef exports, outpacing India, the second-largest exporter, by 527,000 metric tons carcass weight equivalent (CWE). Moreover, USDA projects that Brazil will continue its export growth trajectory for the next decade, reaching 2.9 million metric tons, or 23 percent of the world’s total beef exports, by 2028.

Brazil has the world’s second-largest cattle herd—232 million head—and its production is largely based on grass. Increased beef demand worldwide has stimulated increased production and productivity gains. In 2018, Brazil reached its highest level of beef production at 9.9 million metric tons. According to a September 2018 report by USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS), programs that subsidize and improve pastures and crossbreeding are primary drivers of the overall increase of cattle production in 2019 (another significant factor is improved pasture conditions in major production regions). Between 1990 and 2018, the Brazilian cattle herd expanded by 56 percent (based on estimates from the FAS Production, Supply and Distribution database). Brazil’s beef production last peaked in 2014, when it reached 9.7 million metric tons CWE. During Brazil’s 2014-16 recession, coupled with devaluation of Brazil’s national currency, the Brazilian real, beef output continued to grow, though at a slower pace, while higher local-currency denominated prices compensated for higher production expenses.

 

Via USDA

 

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Newsmaker: Caixa CFO brings dealmaking buzz to once-sleepy Brazil state bank

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Andre Laloni, a veteran of investment banks from Goldman Sachs & Co to UBS Group AG, seemed like an unlikely pick to become chief financial officer of Brazilian state bank Caixa Economica Federal, long a sleepy mortgage underwriter.

Yet in just a few months the 46-year-old banker has made Caixa the talk of Faria Lima Avenue, the epicenter of Sao Paulo’s dealmaking scene.

By Tatiana Bautzer and Carolina Mandl via Yahoo Finance

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Mercosur and European Union close free trade agreement

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After 20 years of long negotiations, Mercosur and the European Union sealed a free trade agreement between the blocs. According to information from the Ministry of Agriculture, the two sides came to an understanding on Friday (28) during a meeting held in Brussels, Belgium. In a statement, the ministry stressed that this is a historic moment.

According to MAPA, negotiations between the parties have intensified in recent days, and on the Brazilian side were led by the Minister of Agriculture, Tereza Cristina; the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ernesto Araújo; and the special secretary of Foreign Trade and International Affairs of the Ministry of Economy, Marcos Troyjo.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Brazil Bets Storing Oil Near Teapots Will Boost China Sales

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(Bloomberg) — Brazil is making it easier for China’s teapots to buy Lula crude as it seeks to win more market share in the world’s biggest oil importer.

State-controlled Petroleo Brasileiro SA has rented offshore tanks in Qingdao in the eastern province of Shandong and delivered the first oil to them on Wednesday, Qingdao Port International said in a statement. Having local storage allows Petrobras to sell smaller volumes to the independent refineries, known as teapots, many of which are clustered in Shandong.

Via Yahoo News

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U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao and Brazilian Minister of Infrastructure Announce Partnership to Promote Transportation Cooperation

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WASHINGTON- U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao and Brazilian Minister of Infrastructure Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas today signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (Memorandum) that will strengthen collaboration on transportation infrastructure investment strategies and on key transportation priorities in technology and innovation between the U.S. and Brazil.

“The Department is committed to strengthening our longstanding cooperative relationship with Brazil by sharing data and best practices to build safer and smarter transportation systems,” said Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

 

Via Transportation.gov

 

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Argentina, Brazil and Canada outpacing U.S. in gene editing

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U.S. pork producers will fall behind global competitors if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration continues to move forward with plans to regulate livestock gene editing as a drug. That was the message the National Pork Producers Council delivered during a media teleconference Tuesday on the current regulatory oversight of gene-edited livestock on America’s farms.

Gene editing accelerates genetic improvements that could be realized over long periods of time through breeding. It allows for simple changes in a pig’s native genetic structure without introducing genes from another species. Emerging applications include raising pigs resistant to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, a highly contagious swine disease that causes significant animal suffering and costs pork producers worldwide billions of dollars.

 

By Ann Hess via National Hog Farmer

 

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Countries pledge to boost green economy in the Americas

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The promotion of the green economy – which reconciles development, environment and poverty reduction – involves the articulation between governments, civil society and companies. This was the conclusion of the participants of the 1st Regional Ministerial Conference of the Americas on Green Economy, which closed on Wednesday (26) in Fortaleza, after two days of discussions and talks, reports Agência Brasil.

Following the closure of the discussions, the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean adopted a joint document with commitments to promote sustainable development on the continent. The final text will only be published next week, but the draft has 22 suggestions.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Brazil med school network Afya aims to raise $250 mln in U.S. IPO

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SAO PAULO, June 25 (Reuters) – Brazilian medical education group Afya SA hopes to raise at least $250 million in an initial public offering, three sources with knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday, the latest in a series of South American companies to seek U.S. listings.

The company’s shares will trade on the Nasdaq in July, the sources added, requesting anonymity because discussions of the offering’s size are still private.

 

By Carolina Mandl via Nasdaq

 

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JPMorgan Raises Its Brazil Stocks Target, While Cutting Regional Peers

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Brazil was the standout in JPMorgan’s re-rating of Latin American equity markets as the firm raised its year-end price target for the Ibovespa index while lowering forecasts for the rest of the region.

Strategist Emy Shayo increased the 2019 target for the Brazilian benchmark to 108,000 from 105,900, implying about a 6% increase from current levels. The more optimistic projection is based on expectations that approval of social security reform will lead to more growth and lower risk. It comes as Brazil’s weaker-than-expected economic recovery has been leading to downward revisions to earnings estimates.
By Vinicius Andrade via Bloomberg

Brazil’s antitrust regulator wants competition in Sao Paulo airport

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazil’s antitrust regulator wants new rules for allocating airplane landing and departure rights, known as slots, in Sao Paulo’s crowded domestic airport, saying they are too concentrated among two main airlines.

The recommendation comes as the country’s civil aviation regulator ANAC has announced it will take back the slots held by grounded airline Avianca Brasil in the airport, known as Congonhas, as part of a plan to redistribute them later.

 

By Marcelo Rochabrun and Alberto Alerigi Jr. via Reuters

 

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Mobile Banking Use Rises Exponentially In Brazil

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Mobile banking is becoming increasingly popular in Brazil, with more consumers making use of mobile banking services for the execution of daily financial transactions.

The number of transactions performed by Brazilian citizens on their mobile phones increased significantly in 2018. Compared to 2017, mobile banking use increased by 24 percent in 2018. While mobile banking is mostly used to check banking statements and balances by many people, the number of other transactions such as money transfers went up by a factor of almost 80% in Brazil. This reveals that Brazilian citizens have become more dependent on their mobile phones for the execution of their financial transactions.

 

By Ali Raza via LearnBonds

 

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SDGs in Brazil – 16 July 2019

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The Global Compact Network Brazil is pleased to invite you to the second edition of the SDGs in Brazil – The Role of the Private Sector.

The event aims to introduce investors, business leaders, government authorities and representatives of the UN system to how Brazilian companies are contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The SDGs in Brazil – The Role of the Private Sector will take place alongside the High-Level Forum 2019, a United Nations central platform for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals.

For further information, please contact us at sdgsinbrazil@nineoclock.com.br

For registrations, please access: https://bit.ly/2Rqbnla

 

Meat-loving Brazil joins the search for plant-based alternatives

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Beef-crazy Brazil, with its all-you-can-eat steak houses, world-leading meatpackers and more cattle than people, is not the first place you might look for plant-based alternatives to meat.

But companies from JBS SA, the largest beef producer in the world, to BRF SA, the No.1 chicken exporter, are looking to tap a wave of interest from environmentally conscious eaters seeking vegetable substitutes.

 

By Alberto Alerigi via Reuters

 

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Brazil’s Central Bank Keeps Key Rate at Its Record Low

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Brazil held its benchmark interest rate at a record low and signaled it can cut borrowing costs to help a frail economy once a key austerity measure advances further in Congress.

The bank’s board, led by its President Roberto Campos Neto, on Wednesday
kept the Selic unchanged at 6.50% in a decision expected by all but one of the 39 economists in a Bloomberg survey. Officials have held borrowing costs steady for over a year.

 

By Mario Sergio Lima via Bloomberg

 

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Brazil Stocks Close at a Record High

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(Bloomberg) — Brazil’s equity benchmark Ibovespa index closed above the 100,000 mark for the first time on record as dovish signals from the Federal Reserve added support to global asset prices, and potentially signaling increased odds for rate cuts in Brazil.

The index rose 0.9% to 100,303 on Wednesday, pushing gains this year to 14%.

By Vinicius Andrade via Yahoo Finance

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U.S. corn problems boost Brazil ethanol outlook, might affect sugar

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SAO PAULO, June 18 (Reuters) – Brazilian sugar mills are closely watching the 2019 U.S. corn crop for reduced harvests that could boost prices for the cereal, raising ethanol production costs there and opening room for Brazilian ethanol to gain domestic market share.

In that scenario, ethanol demand in Brazil would likely rise further, experts say, leading mills to maintain current production mix that heavily favors ethanol at the expense of sugar.

 

By Marcelo Teixeira via Reuters

 

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Brazil leader signs law allowing foreign carriers to operate domestic flights

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday signed a bill into law allowing foreign airlines to operate domestic flights in Latin America’s largest air market, a move that could usher in new competition or lead foreign carriers to buy up the local players.

The bill had started as an executive order issued by former President Michel Temer in the last days of his tenure in late 2018. Brazil’s Congress made the measure permanent last month, but included some changes that required a presidential signature.

By Ricardo Brito via Yahoo News

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Brazil: R3 Develops Blockchain Platform With Major Banks and Stock Exchange

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Blockchain software consortium R3 revealed that it is developing a blockchain platform in Brazilwith banks Bradesco, Itau and B3, Cointelegraph Brazil reported on June 12.

The R3 Consortium — which is composed of large banks and technology companies — announced during the CIAB Febraban event in São Paulo that it is currently collaborating with Brazilian banks.

 

By Adrian Zmudzinski via Cointelegraph

Drones deployed to monitor Brazil forest growth

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[SÃO PAULO] Measuring the height of Brazil’s towering rainforests can be a tall order. But an international team of researchers say they are working together to turn unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, into efficient, low-cost data collectors that can monitor the progress of forest restoration.

The team developed a drone equipped with three-dimensional laser scanning and hyperspectral imaging systems capable of producing high-resolution maps and collecting hundreds of images at different wavelengths for a given area.

 

By Rodrigo de Oliveira Andrade via SciDev.Net

 

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UPDATE 1-Brazil services activity grows 0.3% in April, first rise this year

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BRASILIA, June 13 (Reuters) – Services activity in Brazil rebounded in April from a sharp fall in the previous month, government statistics agency IBGE said on Thursday, marking the first rise this year, although growth was slower than economists had expected.

Activity also shrank more than forecast on an annual basis, suggesting the economy started the second quarter on a weak note, having contracted in the first quarter for the first time in more than two years.

 

By Jamie McGeever via Reuters

 

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Climate risk zoning made Brazil save R $ 16.8 billion in 2018

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The impacts associated with the Agricultural Zero Risk of Climate (Zarc), created by Embrapa, brought about an economy of about R $ 16.8 billion for Brazilian agribusiness last year. The estimate was calculated for Embrapa’s Social Balance Sheet 2018 and is equivalent, mainly, to losses that the Country no longer suffer from crop losses and the consequent securitizations that would provoke them. According to the Balance Sheet methodology, the work of Embrapa is responsible for 40% of these results, which is equivalent to approximately R $ 6.7 billion.

This is because, based on historical climatic data, the Zarc indicates the dates of planting in which there is less risk of crop frustration caused by adverse environmental conditions, that is, it guides the producer and the financing agent about the times and regions most suitable for planting, generating greater safety.

 

By DATAGRO

 

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Second phase of Brazil’s Mero deep offshore project launched: Total

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PARIS (Reuters) – French energy group Total said it had launched the second phase of development for the Mero project off the coast of Brazil, along with its partners, as the deep offshore oil project moves closer to getting off the ground.

“The decision to launch Mero 2 comes as a new milestone in this large-scale project that will develop the giant oil resources of the Mero field, estimated at 3 to 4 billion barrels,” said Arnaud Breuillac, Total’s head of exploration and production.

 

By Sudip Kar-Gupta and Bate Felix via Reuters

 

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Agricultural storage capacity grows in Brazil, says IBGE

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The capacity of agricultural inventories in Brazil registered growth of 0.3% in the second half of 2018, reaching 169.5 million tons, according to data released on Tuesday (11), by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).

According to a survey conducted by IBGE, Mato Grosso has the largest storage capacity, with 39.8 million tons. The stock of agricultural products totaled 24.2 million tons, a reduction of 5.0 million tons compared to the 29.2 million tons stored in the second half of 2017.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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Three more foreign airlines could operate domestic flights in Brazil: minister

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Three more foreign airlines are in talks with the Brazilian government to start domestic flight operations in the country, Brazil’s infrastructure minister Tarcisio Gomes de Freitas told reporters on Monday.

He declined to name the companies involved. “These companies are publicly traded, there are competition issues, we cannot announce them yet”, he said.

 

By Lisandra Paraguassu via Reuters

 

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Ripple Kicks Off South America Expansion With Brazil Launch

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Blockchain payments company Ripple has launched in Brazil as the first stage of its planned expansion across South America.

For the effort, Ripple has hired veteran fintech entrepreneur and executive Luiz Antonio Sacco as managing director to drive strategy and help develop Ripple’s business in the region, according to a press release issued Tuesday. Sacco’s LinkedIn profile indicates he has been at Ripple since March 2019.

 

By Daniel Palmer via Coindesk

 

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As Coffee Gets Cheaper, Brazil Finds Ways to Grow More for Less

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Rodrigo de Freitas Silva’s coffee farm in the heart of Brazil is flourishing, even during one of the worst price routs in decades.

Over the past dozen years, the 41-year-old has expanded his growing area to 220 hectares (544 acres) from 12.5 hectares, with yields doubling. His whole farm is mechanized, and 90% is irrigated. Most important, even as coffee prices globally trade near the lowest in 13 years, Silva is profitable and expects to increase production with potentially higher yields on more land.

 

By Fabiana Batista via Bloomberg

 

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Petrobras, Brazil government dodge bullet as Supreme Court approves asset sales

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BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that state-run firms do not need congressional approval to sell their subsidiaries, a major victory for the government of President Jair Bolsonaro and state-run oil firm Petrobras.

Also on Thursday, Supreme Court Justice Edson Fachin, who ruled in May to suspend the $8.6 billion sale of Petrobras’ TAG pipeline unit to France’s Engie SA, reversed his decision in light of the full court’s ruling, allowing Petroleo Brasileiro SA, as the firm is formally known, to go ahead with the divestment.

 

By Ricardo Brito via Reuters

 

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Brazil: EU and Mercosur ‘on the verge of signing’ trade deal

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The EU and the South American trade bloc Mercosur are very close to finalizing their bilateral trade agreement, the presidents of Brazil and Argentina said Thursday.

“We’re on the verge of signing an agreement between Mercosur and the European Union,” Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said during a press conference with his Argentine counterpart Mauricio Macri in Buenos Aires. “We are all going to win with this: Argentina, Brazil and the other countries of this bloc, [Paraguay and Uruguay],” he added.

 

By Hans von der Burchard via Politico

 

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Brazil, China and Japan close partnerships to boost technology in the field

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Brazil will form a working group with China to address issues related to science, technology and innovation in the field. The matter was discussed during a meeting of the Sino-Brazilian High Level Cooperation Commission (Cosban).

The Secretary of Innovation, Rural Development and Irrigation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, Fernando Camargo, represented Brazil in the sector subcommittee on agriculture during Cosban. According to him, Brazil and China have complementary characteristics, and have much to cooperate.

 

Via DATAGRO

 

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MEXICO BUYS BRAZIL CORN CARGO AMID TRADE SPAT WITH U.S., SAYS BROKER

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SAO PAULO, June 5 (Reuters) – Mexican importers, who usually buy their corn from the United States, have booked a 35,000-tonne corn cargo from Brazil, amid a trade spat between Washington and Mexico City.

Brazilian broker and consultancy INTL FCStone said on Wednesday the cargo would be loaded at the northern port of Santarém and scheduled to depart on June 22, according to port line-up data.

 

By Roberto Samora via Successful Farming

 

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Brazil retailer Via Varejo launches digital bank targeting low-income clients

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SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazilian electronics and appliance retailer Via Varejo launched a digital bank targeting low-income clients in partnership with Boston-based startup Airfox, according to a filing on Wednesday.

The move will take Via Varejo beyond its current role in Brazil as a brick-and-mortar and online seller of goods, challenging its competitors in Latin America’s largest economy, where App-based wallets are an increasing trend among fintechs and traditional banks.

 

By Gabriela Mello via WSAU

 

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Brazil telecom Oi adds mobile customers as it expands 4.5G coverage

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SAO PAULO: Brazilian telecom Oi SA added more post-paid mobile clients in May than in April, commercial director Bernardo Winik said on Tuesday, as the company expanded its 4.5G coverage in Latin America’s largest economy.

“April was better than the first quarter and May was better than April,” he said at a press conference in Sao Paulo, adding that investments in 4.5G coverage prepare the network for the future generation 5G.

By Gabriela Mello via CNA

 

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Brazil to let mills sell ethanol directly to gas stations

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BRASILIA/SAO PAULO (Reuters) – The Brazilian government on Tuesday paved the way for ethanol makers to sell the fuel directly to gas stations, by passing a resolution to boost fuel industry competition, although additional legislation is required to bypass fuel distributors.

The resolution by CNPE, the energy policy council, includes the option for direct sales by mills. Brazil’s Economy Ministry would have to issue tax-related regulation within 180 days for the change to take effect.

 

By Marcela Ayres and Marcelo Teixeira

 

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Here’s Alibaba’s Mission as it Enters Brazil Cloud Market

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Alibaba (BABA) is launching its cloud computing service in Brazil, according to a report from Xinhua news agency. In Brazil, Alibaba is targeting Chinese companies operating in the country. Alibaba has identified a local partner known as UOL Diveo that will resell its cloud services in Brazil.

According to a report released by IDC in February this year, Brazil is the fastest-growing cloud market in South America. With that in mind, Alibaba is entering a market with huge growth potential for its cloud business.

 

By Naomi Gray via Market Realist

 

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Brazil’s Top Trade Is to Bet on Lower Rates, Rio Hedge Fund Says

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Betting on Brazil’s central bank to further slash the benchmark interest rate is the best way to make money in the nation’s assets right now, according to hedge fund Truxt Investimentos.

“With inflation under control and slow growth, our preferred trade right now is to receive rates in Brazil,” said Mariana Guarino, a portfolio manager at Truxt, which has 10.6 billion reais ($2.7 billion) in assets under management. “Once pension reform is approved, the tail risk of a quick fiscal deterioration will be removed, so Brazil’s central bank will have room to cut rates.”

 

By Vinicius Andrade via Bloomberg

 

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Santander to hire 400 technology staff in Brazil

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Financial services giant Santander has announced plans to hire 400 technology staff into its Brazilian business.

The plan is part of a $2 billion investment plan to drive digital transformation across the Spanish bank’s operations globally. Brazil represents 30 percent of that budget, according to the company.

 

By Angelica Mari via ZD Net

 

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Brazil Establishes Committee for Cryptocurrency Regulation

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The President of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil has ordered to establish a commission to consider cryptocurrency regulation in the country, Cointelegraph Brasil reported on May 31.

The Chamber of Deputies of Brazil is a federal legislative body and the lower house of the National Congress of Brazil, and consists of representatives of the states elected every four years. The Chamber discusses and approves proposals for economic and social areas such as education, health, transport, and housing.

 

By Ana Alexandre via Cointelegraph

 

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