DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Brazil central bank greenlights Meta's WhatsApp merchant payment system
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A smartphone with a displayed Meta logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken February 23, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File PhotoSAO PAULO, March 2 (Reuters) - Brazil's central bank on Thursday approved Meta Platforms' (META.O) payments launch for small and medium-sized business in Brazil via its messaging application WhatsApp, building on the app's existing local peer-to-peer payment system. WhatsApp users in Brazil have been able to make payments between users through the application since 2021, but the new development clears the way for merchants to receive payments. "Soon, WhatsApp users will be able to pay for products and services directly in a conversation with Mastercard and Visa debit and credit cards," Guilherme Horn, head of WhatsApp Latin America, said in a Linkedin post. Shortly after the central bank's greenlight, Meta's chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said on his Instagram broadcast channel that "people will be able to pay small businesses right on WhatsApp".

☆ Brazil's Petrobras posts Q4 profit up 38%
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Companies Petroleo Brasileiro SA Petrobras FollowSAO PAULO, March 1 (Reuters) - Brazil's state-run oil firm Petrobras (PETR4.SA) on Wednesday posted a better-than-expected 37.6% surge in fourth-quarter profit, helped by higher oil prices over the period. Petrobras reported net profit of 43.34 billion reais, surpassing the 37.61 billion reais estimated by analysts polled by Refinitiv. Reporting by Peter Frontini and Roberto Samora; Editing by Sarah MorlandOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

SAO PAULO, March 2 (Reuters) - A confirmed case of mad cow disease in Brazil discovered last month is "atypical," the agriculture ministry said on Thursday, adding it will work to lift beef export suspensions swiftly enacted by several countries in Asia. In a statement, the agriculture ministry pointed to an analysis conducted by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) that confirmed the unusual case of mad cow disease. The case of mad cow disease, known scientifically as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), was found in a nine-year old bull from northern Para state. Earlier on Thursday, three additional Asian markets - Thailand, Iran and Jordan - slapped temporarily bans on beef imported from anywhere in Brazil. Officials explained that atypical cases of mad cow disease can occur spontaneously in cattle populations and such infections do not depend on ingestion of feed contaminated by abnormal pathogens known as prions.

☆ These 3 little-known Latin American stocks have over 50% upside, UBS says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Latin American stocks managed to dodge the battering their North American peers got in 2022. UBS shared with clients its top stocks listed in Latin America, where it expects "near-term catalysts" to move share prices. The following are three buy-rated stocks with more than 50% upside from UBS's "high-conviction ideas with catalysts" report, dated Feb. 8. Vibra Shares of Vibra Energia , the largest gas station operator in Brazil, are expected to rally by 50%, according to UBS. While that deal was initiated in 2021, UBS believes "the market is not pricing in" earnings upside from Comerc.

[1/3] John Kerry, U.S. Special Envoy for Climate, talks with Brazil's Environment Minister Marina Silva during a meeting in Brasilia, Brazil February 28, 2023. Lula and U.S. President Joe Biden pledged to work together on climate change in a meeting at the White House earlier this month. Protecting the Amazon is vital to curbing climate change because of the vast quantity of greenhouse gas its trees absorb. He said that the United States was still considering how much to give to the Amazon Fund. Silva said she discussed with Kerry the possibility of opening up the United States to more sustainable sourced products from Brazil.

☆ Death toll from Brazil floods, landslides reaches 57
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SAO PAULO, Feb 24 (Reuters) - The death toll from heavy rains that devastated coastal areas of Brazil's southeastern Sao Paulo state reached 57 people on Friday, official figures showed. Massive downpours have caused landslides and flooding in coastal towns of Brazil's richest state since last weekend. The city of Sao Sebastiao bore the brunt of the human toll, with 56 of the reported deaths. The Sao Paulo state government said in a statement that more rains were expected on Friday while search and rescue efforts continued with dozens still missing. On Thursday a Brazilian Navy ship arrived in Sao Sebastiao to help rescue victims.

☆ Brazil Suspends Beef Exports to China After Finding Mad-Cow Disease
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Samantha Pearson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A municipal slaughterhouse in São Félix do Xingu, in the Brazilian state of Pará . SÃO PAULO—Brazil, the world’s largest beef exporter, halted shipments of meat to China after confirming a case of mad-cow disease, raising concerns among farmers over a drawn-out beef ban from the country’s biggest trading partner. Brazil’s agricultural ministry said late Wednesday it had notified the World Organization for Animal Health and sent samples for testing in Canada after detecting a case of the disease, bovine spongiform encephalitis, at a small farm in the Amazonian state of Pará.

☆ More volatility, possible correction ahead for global stock markets: Reuters poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Hari Kishan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

SummarySummary Companies poll datahttp://tmsnrt.rs/2nHJiJ9https://tmsnrt.rs/3EwxtMLhttps://tmsnrt.rs/3EwgwloBENGALURU, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Volatility in global stock markets is not yet over, as more investors reckon interest rates will likely stay higher for longer, according to a Reuters poll of equity analysts, a slight majority of whom expected a correction within three months. "Valuations are stretched across equity markets after the rally year-to-date. The Feb. 10-22 Reuters poll of more than 150 strategists, analysts and fund managers covering 17 global stock indices, found 56% were expecting a correction in their local market in the next three months. Latam stock markets will have a relatively better year with Mexican stocks expected to advance 6.7% to 57,500 points and Brazil's Bovespa stock index predicted to gain 14.5% to 125,000 points by year-end. (Other stories from the Reuters Q1 global stock markets poll package:)Reporting by Hari Kishan and Sarupya Ganguly; Additional reporting and polling by correspondents in Bengaluru, Buenos Aires, London, Mexico City, Milan, New York, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Tokyo and Toronto; Editing by Ross Finley and Sharon SingletonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ POLL Global stocks to correct in short term as inflation weighs
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Hari Kishan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Summary poll datahttp://tmsnrt.rs/2nHJiJ9BENGALURU, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Global stock markets are expected to correct in the next three months as investors digest the fact that interest rates are likely to stay higher for longer, according to a Reuters poll of equity analysts. The poll showed a majority would fall short, or just about recoup their 2022 losses by the end of the year. Stocks have rallied about 20% in recent months and some strategists say that the market has gone too far. "Valuations are stretched across equity markets after the rally year-to-date. A stronger 70% majority of analysts, 57 of 82, expected value stocks to outperform growth stocks this year.

☆ Latam's MercadoLibre's net profit rises, fueled by fintech arm
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Total Payment Volume (TPV) via Mercado Pago grew 79.5% in constant currency (45.3% in dollars) to reach $36.0 billion. In commerce, net revenues hit $1.7 billion, up 22.3% in dollar terms, in the period. The company also said the Gross merchandise volume (GMV) - a key metric in the e-commerce industry - was up 34.7% in constant currency (20.8% in dollars) to hit $9.6 billion. In the fourth-quarter last year, the company posted a net loss of $46.1 million. Reporting by Andre Romani; Writing by Carolina Pulice; Edited by Isabel WoodfordOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Brazil downpours leave at least 49 killed, death toll expected to rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SAO PAULO, Feb 23 (Reuters) - The death toll from heavy rains that devastated coastal areas of Brazil's southeastern Sao Paulo state reached 49 people, official figures showed on Thursday, as cities in the region brace for more downpour in the coming days. The number of casualties rose from 48 reported a day earlier, the Sao Paulo state government said in a statement, but dozens remained missing and search and rescue efforts continued. The city of Sao Sebastiao, located some 200 km (124.3 miles) from Sao Paulo, bore the brunt of the human toll, with 48 of the reported deaths, but nearby towns such as Ilhabela, Caraguatatuba, Bertioga and Ubatuba were also affected. Massive downpours have caused landslides and flooding since last weekend in coastal towns of Brazil's richest state, so far hit by more than 600 millimeters (23.6 inches) of rain, the highest cumulative figure ever in the country. Reporting by Eduardo Simoes; Editing by Steven GrattanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Deadly rains devastate areas of Sao Paulo, Brazil
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Dave Lucas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

President Joe Biden made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Monday, promising to stand with Ukraine as long as it takes, on a trip timed to upstage the Kremlin ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion.

☆ Brazil to halt beef exports to China after mad cow disease case
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SAO PAULO, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Brazil's beef exports to China will be halted starting Thursday after a case of mad cow disease was confirmed in the northern state of Para, the country's agriculture and livestock ministry said on Wednesday. The suspension is part of an animal health pact previously agreed between China and Brazil and is expected to be temporary. It is a blow to Brazilian farmers, as China is the main destination for Brazil's beef exports. A case of the disease, formally called bovine spongiform encephalitis, was confirmed earlier by Para's agricultural defense agency. In 2021, two cases of the disease triggered a suspension in beef exports to China that lasted more than three months.

☆ Death toll from Brazil downpours hits 48, dozens still missing
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/7] Volunteers, firefighters, army officers and a civil guard carry the body of a woman who died at one of the landslide sites after severe rainfall at Barra do Sahy, in Sao Sebastiao, Brazil, February 22, 2023. REUTERS/Amanda PerobelliSAO PAULO, Feb 22 (Reuters) - The death toll from heavy rains that devastated coastal areas of Brazil's southeastern Sao Paulo state reached 48 people, official figures showed on Wednesday, but dozens were still missing as search and rescue efforts continued. The number of casualties rose from 46 reported a day earlier, the Sao Paulo state government said in a statement. The city of Sao Sebastiao, located some 200 km (124.3 miles) from Sao Paulo, bore the brunt of the human toll, with 47 of the reported deaths. The floods in coastal Sao Paulo state were the latest in a series of such disasters to recently strike Brazil, where shoddy construction, often on hillsides, can have tragic consequences during the country's rainy season.

Climate risk specialists at The Cross Dependency Initiative (XDI), which conducts physical climate risk analyses, found that China is home to 16 of the 20 global regions most at risk of climate change. Over half of the provinces in the global top fifty are in China, which has experienced a rise in manufacturing and infrastructure investment in regions already threatened by climate change. After China, the U.S. has the most regions at risk of climate change, with Florida ranking tenth on the list, California nineteenth and Texas twentieth. China, India and the U.S. collectively comprise more than half the states and provinces in the top global 100 regions, according to XDI. Other highly-developed and major economic hubs in the top 100 include Buenos Aires, Argentina; São Paulo, Brazil; Beijing, China; and Mumbai, India.

☆ Death toll from devastating Brazil downpours rises to 44
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SAO PAULO, Feb 21 (Reuters) - The death toll from heavy rains that devastated coastal areas of Brazil's southeastern Sao Paulo state rose to 44 people, according to a state government statement on Tuesday. The city of Sao Sebastiao bore the brunt of the human toll, with 43 reported deaths. [1/5] Firefighters work to find victims in one of the landslides sites after severe rainfall at Barra do Sahy in Sao Sebastiao, Brazil, February 21, 2023. Sao Paulo state Governor Tarcisio de Freitas said the Navy would build a field hospital for victims starting Thursday. The deluge happened as tourists thronged to Brazil's beaches during the annual Carnival holiday, likely making the human toll much worse.

☆ Dozens Killed in Brazil’s São Paulo Region as Floods Cause Landslides
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Gareth Vipers | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/dozens-killed-in-brazils-sao-paulo-region-as-floods-cause-landslides-2ff4ef91

SAO SEBASTIAO, Brazil, Feb 20 (Reuters) - The death toll from devastating rainfall in southeastern Brazil rose to 40 on Monday, official figures showed, as President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva visited the region and said homes should no longer be built in areas at risk of landslides and major floods. Lula flew over the coastal town of Sao Sebastiao alongside Cabinet ministers and pledged to help rebuild the town of some 91,000 people by constructing new houses in safer places. "Sometimes nature takes us by surprise, but sometimes we also tempt nature," Lula said in a speech after meeting with Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas and Sao Sebastiao Mayor Felipe Augusto to coordinate their response to the disaster. "I express my solidarity with the people of Sao Sebastiao and I hope this never happens again." [1/4] Landslides are seen after severe rainfall in Sao Sebastiao, Brazil, February 20, 2023.

☆ Two dozen dead after Brazil rains cause calamity
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Ana Mano | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The Sao Paulo state government confirmed 19 deaths and 566 dislodged or homeless persons after rains of more than 600 millimeters (23.62 inches) pounded the coast of Brazil's richest state. [1/3] An aerial view shows the damage caused by severe rainfall in Ilhabela, Brazil, February 19, 2023, in this picture obtained from social media. Sao Paulo state declared a 180-day state of calamity for six cities after what experts described as an unprecedented, extreme weather event. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on his social media account he will visit the main affected areas on Monday. Reporting by Ana Mano in São Paulo and Lisandra Paraguassu in Brasília; Editing by Diane CraftOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Italy asks Brazil forward Robinho to serve prison sentence in home country
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SAO PAULO, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Italy has requested that former AC Milan and Brazil striker Robinho serves a 9-year prison sentence for rape in his home country, local media reported, citing Brazil's Foreign Relations Ministry. In a statement, the Brazilian ministry confirmed it has received such a request without naming the player. Earlier this week, Italy's Justice Ministry had issued an international arrest warrant for the player, after the country's top court confirmed his conviction for rape in January. A Milan court in 2017 found Robinho and five other Brazilians guilty of gang raping a woman after plying her with alcohol in a discotheque. The conviction was confirmed by an appeals court in 2020 and validated by Italy's Supreme Court last month.

☆ Brazil Supreme Court rules Bayer must return $252 mln in GMO soy royalties
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Ana Mano | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Feb. 13 ruling by Supreme Court Justice Nunes Marques relates to a GMO technology commercially known as Intacta RR2 Pro, created by Monsanto, which was later acquired by Germany's Bayer. Bayer said in a statement it will determine its next steps while noting it would comply with the ruling. The ruling is the latest chapter of a protracted battle opposing the crop science firm and Brazilian farmers, who have launched multiple legal challenges against the firm. Aprosoja-MT said that according to the ruling, Bayer will now have to deposit 1.3 billion reais ($252 million) in an escrow account to return royalties paid by farmers going back to 2018. A lawyer for Aprosoja-MT said Bayer can appeal Marques' ruling at the plenary of the Supreme Court.

☆ Embraer's electric aircraft maker Eve 'on track' to start service in 2026
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Gabriel Araujo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SAO PAULO, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Electric aircraft maker Eve Holding Inc (EVEX.N) is "on track" to meet its goal of starting commercial operations in 2026, an executive said on Friday, and getting its aircraft certificated is the most immediate target. Eve is confident about the "robust project," which is backed by Embraer's expertise, said Mauad, reiterating the goal of starting operations in 2026. BNDES later announced it would grant Eve an additional 490 million reais ($94.47 million). Mauad acknowledged a consolidation process could happen in the sector, but noted Eve was still particularly focused on working through its partnerships. ($1 = 5.1871 reais)Reporting by Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Anthony Esposito and Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Brazil’s Right Eagerly Awaits Former President Jair Bolsonaro’s Return
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Luciana Magalhaes | Samantha Pearson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

SÃO PAULO—Conservative Brazilian lawmakers welcomed former President Jair Bolsonaro ’s announcement that he plans to end his self-exile in Florida and return home, saying they hope the right-wing leader can marshal opposition to the leftist government’s plans to raise taxes, toughen gun laws and increase the state’s role in the economy. “He has the confidence of 58 million people, it’s undeniable that he’s influential and a political force,” said a prominent congressman, Deltan Dallagnol, referring to the number of votes cast for Mr. Bolsonaro in his losing reelection effort in October against Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva .

☆ Bird flu alarm drives world towards once-shunned vaccines
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Sybille De La Hamaide | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

"That's why every country in the world is worried about bird flu," French agriculture minister Marc Fesneau said. But the fear of trade restrictions remains centre stage for countries reluctant to vaccinate poultry against bird flu. Bird flu can also mutate rapidly and reduce the efficacy of vaccines while programmes are costly and time consuming, as shots often need to be administered individually. Ceva said it was using the mRNA technology used in some COVID shots for the first time in poultry vaccines. The global market for bird flu vaccines would be about 800 million to 1 billion doses per year, excluding China, said Sylvain Comte, corporate marketing director for poultry at Ceva.

Haley this week became just the second major Republican to say she is seeking the party's presidential nomination in 2024, taking on her old boss former President Donald Trump. But voters in the state also have repeatedly reelected Republican Governor Chris Sununu, a far more moderate voice than Trump's, and in November rejected hard-right Republican U.S. Senate candidate Don Bolduc. Haley will appear at an evening town hall event in Exeter, about 45 miles (70 km) north of Boston in southern New Hampshire. In the first days of her campaign, Haley has stressed the need for generational change. The Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary have traditionally been the first two events of the U.S. presidential nominating season.

Search resuls for: "São"

25 mentions found