Stocks fall to lowest level since August on Credit Suisse crisis

The B3 Ibovespa index closed this Wednesday at 102,675 points, down 0.25%. The indicator fell 2.18% around 12:00 am, approaching 100,000 points, but reacted during the afternoon and almost zeroed the losses. Even closing practically stable, the indicator, which accumulates five consecutive losses, is at the lowest level since August 1st.

The day was also tense in the foreign exchange market. The commercial dollar ended this Wednesday sold at R$5.294, up R$0.037 (+0.7%). The quotation soared until the beginning of the afternoon, reaching R$ 5.32 at the maximum of the day, shortly before 2 pm, but cooled down towards the end of the negotiations.

The US currency is at its highest level since January 5, when it was sold at R$5.35. The currency accumulates an increase of 1.32% in March and 0.27% in 2023. Until this Tuesday (14), the dollar had accumulated a drop in the year.

The financial market had a tense day across the planet, after the Credit Suisse bank announced “significant weaknesses” in balance sheets and controls over the past two years. The crisis at the financial institution comes days after two US banks linked to technology companies went bankrupt and had customer deposits guaranteed by the Federal Reserve (Fed, US Central Bank).

Throughout the afternoon, two factors eased the instability of the dollar and the stock market: the announcement by the Swiss Central Bank that it could bail out the financial institution, if necessary, and confirmation by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, that the new fiscal framework will be announced before the official trip to China, scheduled for the last week of this month.

From now on, the Brazil Agency will only provide the material on the closure of the financial market on extraordinary days. The dollar quote and the stock exchange level will no longer be reported every day.