Brazil's central bank sharply escalated currency intervention on 21 May, offering an additional 15,000 currency swap contracts worth about US$2 billion. The real closed at R$3.668 on the commercial rate after the dollar had risen 5.5% over six sessions on expectations of more US rate hikes.
Analysts said the market was respecting the intervention but that it was unlikely to reverse the dollar's longer-term trend.
Central bank support limits near-term real weakness, which slightly supports Brazilian export prices in dollar terms and reduces the pressure on world feed prices from currency-driven selling. Buyers should still expect volatility while the dollar strengthens.
Após 213 eventos baixista de macro passados, Real brasileiro (BRL por USD) subiu em mediana -0,2% em 5 sessões (46% de alta; metade central de -1,5% a +0,9%), e +0,2% em 20.
Variações do benchmark de cada commodity desde o último fechamento antes do evento. As leituras históricas agregam eventos passados do mesmo tipo; descrevem o que aconteceu, não o que vai acontecer. Não é recomendação de investimento.
The central bank's escalated swap intervention of about US$2 billion on 21 May pushed the dollar back below R$3.70, which directly explains the sharp one-day drop in BRL per USD ending 22 May.